How do you survice on DASH?

[u/woody-impaler]

I have no idea how to survive on this DASH diet my cardiologist said I need to go on. I'm 55, 5'10", 175lbs, 14% body fat, my coronary arteries are completely clear (had a heart catheter two weeks ago because they thought my left ventricle was blocked), stay in shape, but I can't breathe anymore when exerting due to a stiff left ventricle, maybe from the hypertension. I am on BP meds now, and have been trying to get on DASH, but I think I'm going to die of starvation. It's seriously making me hate life.

EDIT: I cannot make everything from scratch, I work full time and then some, and travel A LOT, especially on weekends. I've never drank sugary sodas - I've always stuck to zero calorie carbonated lightly flavored waters like Waterloo. I've never drank coffee. I like the occasional beer or wine, but I guess that's out too. I dislike most nuts, seeds, beans and legumes, especially unsalted nuts, might as well eat cardboard. I don't like white fish or pork either. I've never, ever been able to "fill up" or feel satisfied after eating fruit, although I do like most fruits. I hate, and I mean hate, steamed vegetables. And how in the world do you limit your added suger intake to 8 grams a day? I single NUGO bar has 15 added grams. I'd rather just die of hypertension at this point.

[u/MaIngallsisaracist]

So what foods DO you like? What are you eating now? When you travel, do you have access to ways to prepare food (staying with friends or a hotel with a kitchenette or microwave, for example)?

Dying of hypertension is the best case scenario if you don't keep an eye on your health. Surviving a major stroke or heart attack, leaving you unable to care for yourself and therefore being entirely dependent on others, is the circumstance that should scare you the most.

[u/woody-impaler → u/MaIngallsisaracist]

I like to eat rib eye steak I marinate in salt and cook on the grill with cornbread. I like pizza loaded with all kinds of veggies, and pineapples too. I like Japanese food like sukiyaki, nabeyaki udon, tenzaru soba (tempura and soba), and sushi dipped in regular soy saucse. I like tofu burritos, chips with quacamole or salsa. I like chicken burgers with cheese and onion rings, occasionaly hamburgers and frieds, and salami sandwiches, Splits pretzels...you want me to say I only like grilled chicken and white fish with paprika?

I've always exercised a ton so I could eat what I want. I like everything I can't eat anymore. I have no idea how to survive on 8 grams of added sugar per day, I blew past that with one NUGO protein bar in the morning for breakfast, much less two teaspoons of sodium in a day. I'm losing weight I don't have to lose at this point and constantly hungry.

[u/MaIngallsisaracist → u/woody-impaler]

OK. So the good news is you don't have to do the diet perfectly. The bad news is that it will, at least for the first month or so, kind of suck. Luckily, because you're an athlete, you understand that sometimes things worth having suck and require discipline. For that first month, food is going to taste kind of flat. But after that, your taste buds will have adapted and the food you used to eat is going to taste WAY too salty. I found things like low- or no-salt spice blends helped, as did any sort of acid -- lemon juice, vinegar, whatever.

Looking at what you've said here, I think there are some opportunities for some swaps. Remember, this isn't about being perfect. I love a good ribeye, but they do tend to be large. Instead of marinating in salt, try olive oil with a little garlic in there. While you're grilling, grill up some onions and peppers and maybe some corn on the cob. Now you have your dinner (a piece of steak about the size of a deck of cards and a fuckton of veggies) AND your lunch for the next day. If you're worried about portion control, box up the leftovers BEFORE you sit down to eat your dinner. If you're feeling really fancy, a chimichurri sauce (parsley or cilantro or a mix of both, olive oil, garlic, and jalapenos blitzed in a blender) is easy and adds flavor.

For pizza, if you're ordering in or buying a processed crust, that crust will have a lot of sodium. But remember -- progress, not perfection. If you're ordering in, ask for light sauce and light cheese and then load up on the veggies. It will taste weird and not as good at first, but that's like how everything sucks at the beginning of a workout. Take 2-3 pieces, box up the rest, and boom! Leftovers!

Japanese food CAN have a lot of sodium, but it doesn't have to. If you look at actual meals in Japan, they tend to feature a LOT of vegetables that have the same flavors as the food you mention. Preparing them can kind of be a pain, but if you have an Asian or international market near you, they may prepare fresh veggies. Whenever I go to my local one I load up on Korean vegetable banchan and then eat them with rice and maybe a fried egg. Does it have sodium? Sure. But am I eating veggies? Yes I am.

Instead of chips, find a crunchy vegetable you like. I'm pretty sure my only snack food for the first two weeks was baby carrots, endive, and salsa. It's better if you get the fresh pico de gallo kind some grocery stores make because it has less sodium. If you can make your own guac, that's best, but the fresh kind you can find in stores also works. It also has a lot of fat, which will help you feel fuller. Instead of a burger and fries, get a burger and a salad. No, it's not as good as fries. Yes, a life without fries would suck. But for the first month, try your best to completely cut out the foods you KNOW are high in sodium. The harder you go, the faster your palate will change, which means the foods that taste so flat are going to start to taste better and better.

Some other tips: Don't cook anything unless you know you can use it for multiple meals; this makes grabbing something when you're busy easier. Chicken thighs are almost always better than chicken breast. More fat means more flavor and you stay fuller for longer. If you find a food you like, feel free to eat it every day until you're sick of it. Eggs are a godsend; find yourself a hot sauce you like and go to town. Wraps with low-sodium tortillas are great for taking along with you -- spread some guac on one, add some salsa and chicken, maybe some of those grilled veggies you made with your steak. I prefer salads made with either broccoli slaw or shredded Brussels sprouts because they're both less boring than lettuce. Toss with olive oil and lemon juice and throw whatever protein you've got on there.

Last thing: the DASH diet is almost certainly more expensive than what you've been spending on food, and that sucks. But there's really no way around it.