Diet changes that have benefited you

[Jay.]

Continuing from the other thread, list the diet/lifestyle changes that you've made that have made a good impact on your _current_ health, it could be higher energy levels, better moods, less stress, better digestion, less illness, better skin, anything but lets for now leave out the long term benefits, although cholesterol can go in. Then list the ones you feel have had little or no benefit.

In order of most benefit:

- Daily exercise. Largest effect of all on my mood, energy and focus. My mood is a lot more positive, more easy going, my determination towards goals shoots up. Focus comes easier and generally at a high energy level for the rest of the day. That's doing 5 times a week 30 minute jogs.

- Drinking 6 pints of water daily. Feel better when awaking up. Higher alertness.

- Eating small and often. I feel this has had bigger changes than exactly what i eat, obviously not to extremes of eating chocolate 8 times a day. Better mood and energy again.

- Vitamin C. 1mg, more detail in the other thread. Less illness since. I did this before diet changes, but now with the diet changes it's probably a very small addition.

The order would be 1 >>>>> 2 > 3 >>>>>>> 4.



Not much _current_ benefit:

- Eating more fruit, vegetables. It's kinda unfair singling these out because this diet change coupled with exercise removed any depression i had, but exercise was a lot larger, and while long term benefits here are huge, current benefits don't feel that major. Most noticeable difference was healthier skin, although again, that is couple with water and maybe Fish Oil supplements.

- Eating almost vegetarian. I'm just testing this out, and haven't really given this a full shot. Before Vegas i was 2 weeks in eating only chicken at most 3 servings a week. This is almost exclusively imo for long term health benefits and i can't fairly comment on any short term benefits, but atm i haven't noticed any. Read some pretty large statements on the mental benefits of this though.

- Multivitamin. Obviously extremely hard to tell, nothing noticeable though.

- Fish oil. Tons of benefits get quoted everywhere for DHA and EPA. Lower cholesterol, improved IQ, improved memory, healthier skin, etc. Taking 360mg EPA and 240mg DHA (high dosages) daily i noticed no benefits. Again though, very hard to judge this one and esp. since i started this supplement around the same time as other life style changes.


So post yours, the good and the bad, lets leave any studies shown out of this, as i could probably find conflicting evidence for every one above, just personal benefits.

[Sniper]

You could have posted this in the other thread [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[Jay.]

[ QUOTE ]
You could have posted this in the other thread [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]

That was on a completely different subject and ending.

[katyseagull]

I agree with Jay. This is a different topic. It's a fine thread idea.


1. I've made a real effort to increase my vegetables. I reject vitamin supplements. I prefer cooked vegetables over raw and am trying to add more servings to my daily diet. It's hard but I think I'm doing pretty good so far. Benefits, we shall see.

2. I'm trying to cut back on my red meat. I will never cut it out completely because I love steak, but I'm trying to eat much smaller portions. Benefits? I'm spending less money! Health benefits, not sure yet.

3. Cut back on the alcohol. I've never been a big drinker to tell you the truth. I've pretty much cut all hard liquor out of my life (with the occasional margarita). I only drink beer now. I'm feeling pretty good about that.

4. No longer weighing myself [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]. Seriously, I can't stand the whole idea anymore and it just becomes an unhealthy obsession. I reject it! Life is much better this way.

5. I think I'm going to try this water thing. You guys are making me all paranoid now. Maybe I need to hydrate myself. I think I'm going to get a glass of water right now.

[Jamougha]

Not eating -> eating.

155lb -> 190lb.

I'm 6' 6" fwiw.

[Blarg]

[ QUOTE ]
I agree with Jay. This is a different topic. It's a fine thread idea.


1. I've made a real effort to increase my vegetables. I reject vitamin supplements. I prefer cooked vegetables over raw and am trying to add more servings to my daily diet. It's hard but I think I'm doing pretty good so far. Benefits, we shall see.

2. I'm trying to cut back on my red meat. I will never cut it out completely because I love steak, but I'm trying to eat much smaller portions. Benefits? I'm spending less money! Health benefits, not sure yet.

3. Cut back on the alcohol. I've never been a big drinker to tell you the truth. I've pretty much cut all hard liquor out of my life (with the occasional margarita). I only drink beer now. I'm feeling pretty good about that.

4. No longer weighing myself [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]. Seriously, I can't stand the whole idea anymore and it just becomes an unhealthy obsession. I reject it! Life is much better this way.

5. I think I'm going to try this water thing. You guys are making me all paranoid now. Maybe I need to hydrate myself. I think I'm going to get a glass of water right now.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm not sure what you think you're accomplishing by switching beer in and hard liquor out, Katie.

[Fishwhenican]

Glucosamine

This stuff is like a miracle! I have had bad back, knees and shoulders due to injuries for a long time and as I got older they would hurt more and more. I started taking Glucosamine and things still hurt from time to time but not anywhere near as much as they used to.

[Colt McCoy]

I'm not usually a big fan of a lot of supplements, and definitely not a big homeopathic-whatever guy, but I replaced my multivitamin with Nature Bee awhile back and definitely feel better.

[fyodor]

I've cut back on my ice cream consumption. I still eat it 2 litres at a time but I try to do that no more than twice a month. Also last time I actually bought frozen yoghurt and it wasn't half bad.

I've also managed to almost completely eliminate vegtables from my diet. I mostly eat meat or bread/cereal or pasta with just oil and herbs. I make milkshakes out of milk, frozen bananas and sometimes instant coffee.

This probably doesn't sound like a very healthy diet but I have plenty of energy and my weight is staying pretty constant.

If I stop posting you will know that my diet has failed and I died.

Now that I typed it out like that it looks like an awful diet to me. No wonder the gf is always on my case.

[Idiotex]

I've suffered from depression at various points in my life and the main strategy to combat it is definitely exercise and a healthy diet. If you're playing poker for a living I think these things are even more important as it can be tough to take a losing day (or worse, multiple losing days).

Like the OP I try to drink a bucketload of water. I also have a glass of juice with breakfast, and drink green tea when I'm getting frustrated playing poker. I'm not sure if the green tea truly relaxes me, but the act of putting on the kettle and sipping the tea while I want to throw my mouse across the room certainly makes a difference.

For breakfast I am trying to eat ceral, with some toast and fruit.

For lunch I'm eating taco shells packed with salad. And for dinner I'll cook something nice up. I like to eat a lot so I'll often fit in another snack of three.

As far as drinking goes I am trying to avoid it as much as possible as it generally makes me unhappy the day(s) after.

I love running and try to get out there three times a week. I'll do a bunch of pushups / chin ups / sit ups a couple of times a week too.

If I stick with this sort of lifestyle I feel the benefits even in the very short term.