OP
SeaJay
Contributor
A lot of new information!
Veg because of scuba diving? Well... Sorta. Sorry, man... I wish I could give you a straight answer, but it's more complex than that.
My diet has always consisted of very few green foods, and heavy on the animal products. I have always been a big consumer of beef, chicken, eggs, cheese, dairy, milk, ice cream, and the like... All of which come from animals. I would estimate that the above foods have historically made up about 80% of my diet.
I have had no significant health problems, although I could stand to lose a few pounds. My muscles are strong, however, and I'm quite burly. Check my avatar.
I have decided to make some changes, however... To a diet that should treat my body better than my previous diet. At first, I was convinced that I needed to cut out animal products completely, and I went a week or two consuming nothing but greens... Broccoli, lettuce, and the like. Dairy and meat were out completely. I did this simultaneous to quitting smoking, and I must admit that it really did some amazing things to curb the craves. I also increased my water intake many times over, to about five liters of water per day.
Now, however, on the recommendation of a friend who's diet advice I trust, I have stabilized myself at 80% greens and 20% other. That 20% other represents sugars and starches (such as pasta and bread) and a little meat here and there. I have restricted that meat intake to only the best stuff... Not for health reasons, but because I want to make the best of my 20%! Broiled chicken, shrimp, fish, crab, and lean beef is on the menu.
I would like to eventually phase meat and "other" out to a very small percentage, and subsist on a diet almost completely composed of greens... Soy sprouts, beans, artichoke, romaine lettuce, broccoli, and the like.
Why?
Well, because I believe the latest health studies which support this diet.
I have also committed myself to a regular exercise program, which consists largely of running... Which is a sport that I absolutely loathe. But nothing has ever affected my body like running. I am not on a regular regimen with this yet, but eventually I will be.
You ask me... "Did you do this specifically for scuba diving?"
Yes.
Is there a better reason?
That's not the complete answer, though... I did it to be in better shape, and I did it so that my body could handle higher stress levels and be more efficient at it's O2 metabolism. I did it (and am doing it) so that I could be a better person (physically) and last longer and live longer and have a richer life. I did it to help slow the aging process. But I have committed myself now rather than later because of the way all of those attributes affect my diving. I want to be able to handle deeper, longer dives with improved fitness. I want to be able to handle diver stress better. I want to be able to swim stronger, dive longer, and dive harder.
Frankly, I have done things for a lot dumber reasons before.
You see, this goes pretty deep... Much deeper than y'all know as of yet. There's hidden motivations here that y'all aren't privy to yet.
When people ask me why I order a plate of uncooked broccoli when my buds are ordering beer and a burger, I simply tell them that I'm in training. Anymore, that seems to be the only way to shut them up.
They assume that I'm in "training" for the world record scuba dive that I have planned before the year's end. Sure, that's true... In fact, I quit smoking specifically so that I could spend two weeks underwater without suffering the withdrawl symptoms.
...And those of you who have been following along closely will remember that I told MHK that I'd be doing the 'Doria with him one day. I remember the look on his face. It said, "Sure, man... If that's your goal, then go get 'em." But I don't think he took me that seriously. Mike, I'm gonna be the best buddy you ever had. And I'm gonna dive the 'Doria with you some day.
...But the real reason why I'm doing this is not because of the world record. In fact, that world record is only training for the big event. It's not because of the 'Doria, either. Again, that's just training.
The big event is something that I haven't mentioned yet. I have a lot more to work out, too, before I can disclose that one. That's gonna be one helluvan event.
It's gonna be a world record of scuba world records. And I'm gonna do it. And I'm gonna need a lot of help. No doubt it will simultaneously earn placement in the Guinness Book several times at once.
Why? Becuase I enjoy challenging myself. And I wanna see the look on MHK's face.
Here's the clincher... The whole event will be entirely DIR, too.
But now is not the time to focus on that event. Now is the time to focus on my body and my skills.
Longraven, tell me your secret.
Veg because of scuba diving? Well... Sorta. Sorry, man... I wish I could give you a straight answer, but it's more complex than that.
My diet has always consisted of very few green foods, and heavy on the animal products. I have always been a big consumer of beef, chicken, eggs, cheese, dairy, milk, ice cream, and the like... All of which come from animals. I would estimate that the above foods have historically made up about 80% of my diet.
I have had no significant health problems, although I could stand to lose a few pounds. My muscles are strong, however, and I'm quite burly. Check my avatar.
I have decided to make some changes, however... To a diet that should treat my body better than my previous diet. At first, I was convinced that I needed to cut out animal products completely, and I went a week or two consuming nothing but greens... Broccoli, lettuce, and the like. Dairy and meat were out completely. I did this simultaneous to quitting smoking, and I must admit that it really did some amazing things to curb the craves. I also increased my water intake many times over, to about five liters of water per day.
Now, however, on the recommendation of a friend who's diet advice I trust, I have stabilized myself at 80% greens and 20% other. That 20% other represents sugars and starches (such as pasta and bread) and a little meat here and there. I have restricted that meat intake to only the best stuff... Not for health reasons, but because I want to make the best of my 20%! Broiled chicken, shrimp, fish, crab, and lean beef is on the menu.
I would like to eventually phase meat and "other" out to a very small percentage, and subsist on a diet almost completely composed of greens... Soy sprouts, beans, artichoke, romaine lettuce, broccoli, and the like.
Why?
Well, because I believe the latest health studies which support this diet.
I have also committed myself to a regular exercise program, which consists largely of running... Which is a sport that I absolutely loathe. But nothing has ever affected my body like running. I am not on a regular regimen with this yet, but eventually I will be.
You ask me... "Did you do this specifically for scuba diving?"
Yes.
Is there a better reason?
That's not the complete answer, though... I did it to be in better shape, and I did it so that my body could handle higher stress levels and be more efficient at it's O2 metabolism. I did it (and am doing it) so that I could be a better person (physically) and last longer and live longer and have a richer life. I did it to help slow the aging process. But I have committed myself now rather than later because of the way all of those attributes affect my diving. I want to be able to handle deeper, longer dives with improved fitness. I want to be able to handle diver stress better. I want to be able to swim stronger, dive longer, and dive harder.
Frankly, I have done things for a lot dumber reasons before.
You see, this goes pretty deep... Much deeper than y'all know as of yet. There's hidden motivations here that y'all aren't privy to yet.
When people ask me why I order a plate of uncooked broccoli when my buds are ordering beer and a burger, I simply tell them that I'm in training. Anymore, that seems to be the only way to shut them up.
They assume that I'm in "training" for the world record scuba dive that I have planned before the year's end. Sure, that's true... In fact, I quit smoking specifically so that I could spend two weeks underwater without suffering the withdrawl symptoms.
...And those of you who have been following along closely will remember that I told MHK that I'd be doing the 'Doria with him one day. I remember the look on his face. It said, "Sure, man... If that's your goal, then go get 'em." But I don't think he took me that seriously. Mike, I'm gonna be the best buddy you ever had. And I'm gonna dive the 'Doria with you some day.
...But the real reason why I'm doing this is not because of the world record. In fact, that world record is only training for the big event. It's not because of the 'Doria, either. Again, that's just training.
The big event is something that I haven't mentioned yet. I have a lot more to work out, too, before I can disclose that one. That's gonna be one helluvan event.
It's gonna be a world record of scuba world records. And I'm gonna do it. And I'm gonna need a lot of help. No doubt it will simultaneously earn placement in the Guinness Book several times at once.
Why? Becuase I enjoy challenging myself. And I wanna see the look on MHK's face.
Here's the clincher... The whole event will be entirely DIR, too.
But now is not the time to focus on that event. Now is the time to focus on my body and my skills.
Longraven, tell me your secret.
