How well do you eat, and do you drink enough water?

[Fatboy_41]

Hey there Escapists.

Just a nice, easy little query here... How well do you look after yourself nutritionally?

I'll tackle this is 2 parts.

1, Food. Generally speaking, I do try to eat healthy enough. The trouble I have is consistency. I'll do a full week of good and clean eating, and then blow it on the weekend or the next week. I'm definitely picking up my game here in the new year, seeing as my new housemate is big on fitness and it's always easier with someone there to pull you up on things.

2, Water. I definitely don't drink enough water on a regular basis. If I'm out working in the sun during summer, I can easily get through 3 or 4 liters of water. But on an average day, I'm flat out getting 1 liter. This is something I really know I have to change because I have felt the effects of dehydration while doing things that should come no where near a dehydration level.

So guys, do you eat well? Do you drink enough water? And if not, do you want to change that?

Favourite healthy meals would be awesome too. Eating the same ol' thing all the time is boring, so any ideas of different meals would be great.

 

[gazumped]

I've been living in a vegetarian houseshare for the past year. I'm not vegetarian myself, but because most of the people (including the owner) living here are vegetarian, no meat is allowed in the house. This means I've had to pay attention to my diet, learn vegetarian cooking and how to include the right amount of protein in my food. We also don't have a microwave here and limited freezer space, which means making pretty much everything from scratch.

It's working out pretty great. When your diet is mostly vegetables you can't really go wrong. I can still eat meat when I'm at other people's houses or at restaurants, of course, but a lot of the time I don't even want to. My body's got so used to being so low in fatty red meats that the thought of a big burger can actually make me feel a bit ill sometimes (not all the time, though, I could go for one right now...)

As for water, I've managed to get a pretty good system going. I'll keep a pint glass full of water next to my computer, sip it idly, and when it's empty immediately refill it. I usually get through about two or three pints of water a day this way, and the rest of my liquid intake is made up through having juice or tea with my meals (which counts, by the way. It doesn't have to be plain water.)

And here are a few of my favourite (all veggie, sorry) meals to cook, they're pretty easy as well:
- Jacket potato (with baked beans and grated cheese), lovely with salad.
- Vegetable soup - with either potatoes or noodles for carbohydrates. This is great with tahini mixed in, although tahini is a bit pricey and it's hard to find.
- Stir fry. Again, tahini goes lovely with stir fried veg. This might not be the healthiest of meals because it's fried and often flavoured with salty condiments (like soy sauce) but it's a lot of vegetables.
- Pasta with pasta sauce made from scratch. Again, not the healthiest as pasta can make you pretty bloated, but screw it, I love pasta. Get wholegrain pasta to make it a bit healthier (again, unfortunately a bit pricier than other options).
- Buckwheat and lentil bake. Mix some boiled buckwheat and lentils with tinned tomatoes and mushrooms and put it in the oven for a while. Serve it with some green veggies. Yummy!
- Vegetable wraps. Mushrooms, red peppers and courgettes steamed up and then wrapped in a tortilla with some crisp lettuce and grated cheese. Beautiful.

Also, I've stopped buying bread because it goes off quicker than I can eat it even if I get small loaves, plus it's not very good for you. I've switched to rice cakes, which I found kind of unappealing at first but I've grown to like them. I love peanut butter on rice cakes for lunch, often with avocado (drizzled with lemon juice).

 

[Silly Hats]

I drink between 2-3L of water everyday

I get all of my daily Fruit/Veg intakes (2/5), I eat meat and vegetarian options about the same. I don't eat too badly, I can do better but I'm healthy so I can't complain. I think that it is important never to go overboard with Red Meat, we usually eat more Chicken than anything else - while in moderation is relatively better for you.

My daily treats are 2-3 Espressos (Organic, fresh coffee beans) and a glass of Ale. I don't like drinks with lots of preservatives or artificial flavourings. No cheap Beer or instant/plunger coffee here.

 

[Duck Sandwich]

I drink pretty much nothing but water and tea (just boiled water with a tea bag in it, nothing else), and I pay close attention to my diet. I try to keep a good diet because my main hobby (kickboxing) requires it, and I generally want to get the most out of my workouts. Some staples of my diet include eggs, whole wheat bread, apples, carrots, cottage cheese, ham, peanut butter, and soup. I also need to be careful about what I eat because I have a ridiculous appetite, and a lot of foods (like pizza) I can eat, and eat, and still be hungry.

 

[Ljs1121]

I have an absolutely terrible diet. As far as water is concerned, I tend to not drink water at all for a few days and then drink five hundred glasses of water the next day.

I really need to get my nutrition in order. ;_;

 

[Nothing Tra La La]

My diet is really quite poor. Lately I haven't been eating much at all (I seem to have caught some sort of bug just before the holiday) and have been craving healthy foods, but on a normal basis my diet consists of little nutritional value.
I'm stuck at home constantly and my mom is usually always working, so I'll be starving all day and ask her to pick me up fast food. It's a vicious cycle. Even if fast food weren't as big a problem as it is, I'm a bit of a compulsive snacker.
As for water, I hate it. I don't get nearly as much as I should, and I just... really hate drinking water! Maybe it's because my only source is the tap, but I feel nauseous when forced to drink more than 4 oz of the stuff.

 

[omega 616]

That has always boggled me, why the emphasis on drinking water? Everything liquid hydrates you, even beer and caffeine. Sure pop and beer has crap in it but so does water and it tastes a lot better than water!

I drink no water, drink other stuff though.

As for food, it's the typical gamer diet but no crisps (chips to you 'muricans). Give me chocolate and microwave burgers till I die. I love fruit, veggies and pasta but it's not as convenient or as cheap as other stuff.

I think I just figured out why I am packing on pounds.....

 

[Akytalusia]

food: i don't pay the least bit attention to my nutrition. i eat the exact same meal twice a day, every day, because it's cheap, and (apparently) sustains my existence.

water: i probably drink enough. 1-2 glasses of milk and another 1-2 glasses of water every day. milk for my meals, unless we're running low, and water whenever i'm thirsty. i know the recommended dosage is much higher, but i think the official recommended dosage is excessive.

 

[perfectimo]

Food (everyday):
12:00 - 300g fruit salad
16:30 - 200g chicken and 3 vegetables
19:00 - 300g beef rump and 3 vegetables

Water:
3L - 4L daily

I have moved to this diet after being on a strict vegan diet for the last year.


EDIT:
Just to clarify, this means I never eat between meals, I never have snacks or snack type foods, I don't eat lollies or foods with excessive sugar and I don't drink anything other than water, once every week or two I may have a 100% fruit drink but that's not always.

 

[Best of the 3]

That has always boggled me, why the emphasis on drinking water? Everything liquid hydrates you, even beer and caffeine. Sure pop and beer has crap in it but so does water and it tastes a lot better than water!

Snipity

Last I checked, alcohol actually dehydrates your body, as it causes you to have to drain liquids from your vital organs (such as the brain, which is actually what causes the hangover if I remember correctly). Maybe in small amounts, like in weaker beers, it does hydrate? But I'm pretty sure alcohol doesn't hydrate the body (I only drink spirits myself, and I'll find without drinking a truck load of water before bed, will leave me feeling nasty in the mornings and usually for the rest of the day). Not sure about caffeine, but then again I don't drink coffee/tea/energy drinks.

OT: My diet is good, I eat enough and it's reasonably health. I pig out occasionally but it is in some moderation and countered by the exercises I do. As for water intake, I really should improve that. I've been trying to but find it hard to remind myself to drink more water.

 

[Shoggoth2588]

No and No. I eat irregularly and when I do it's either in small portions, from fast food or, some kind of junk food. What's worse is, I generally only eat once or twice a day. As for water, I don't drink very much at all. I don't have an exact figure and doubt I could pull anything accurate out of my brain.

 

[lechat]

That has always boggled me, why the emphasis on drinking water? Everything liquid hydrates you, even beer and caffeine. Sure pop and beer has crap in it but so does water and it tastes a lot better than water!

I drink no water, drink other stuff though.

As for food, it's the typical gamer diet but no crisps (chips to you 'muricans). Give me chocolate and microwave burgers till I die. I love fruit, veggies and pasta but it's not as convenient or as cheap as other stuff.

I think I just figured out why I am packing on pounds.....

caffeinated beverages are partial diuretics and most alcohol is a diuretic meaning best case scenario you are absorbing less water from these drinks as you would from a standard glass of water and worst case you are lowering hydration

my diet would be described as low fat low carb if not for the fact i consume on average triple the quantity of food that the average person does and hence up to double the kilojoules. as an ex body builder with decent muscle mass and a fairly active lifestyle i am able to bypass the effects of the high calories however it does have me worried about my longevity considering studies into caloric restriction http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calorie_restriction

in summer if i am active i can consume up to 10 liters of water a day but i find whenever i donate blood i am at least slightly dehydrated more often than not

about a year ago i done a 3 month study on a zero carb diet and it's effects and one day i'll get around to writing my results for all to see

 

[scorptatious]

Well darn you guys.

I was going to get some cheeze-its to snack on with some coke, but then you guys made me feel guilty so now I'm having a bottle of water instead.



OT: Yeah, my diet isn't exactly great. Lately I've been having Pop-Tarts and Red Bull for breakfast. I probably should break out of that habit and have something healthier.

 

[Dethenger]

I usually eat pretty healthy. Breakfast is always egg whites on unbuttered wheat toast with a banana, water, and tea. Lunch is usually a turkey sandwich with cheese on whole wheat ciabatta, and dinner is usually chicken with a carb or a starch (rice, rolls, or mashed potatoes).

I fuck up every once in a while, of course, either by eating something terrible or just eating too much (sometimes, unfortunately, both). Today, in fact, I felt like baking something, so I made scones. By their very nature (lots of sugar, butter) they aren't that good for you, and I ate three with questionable fruit spreads.

As for water, I have a giant cup that's about a liter and I go through it a few times a day. I think I get enough.

 

[soren7550]

Nah, I usually don't eat that well. I try to eat better, but it rarely happens. Usually when I try to eat better, something goes wrong (such as if I buy a bag of salad, it turns to mush the next day). Also, eating better tends to be more expensive.

Water, I definitely do not drink enough of. Most days, I stick to soda, Gatorade, or juice.

Yet somehow, doctors have told me that I'm healthy (then again, it's been a long time since I've seen a doctor).

 

[Launcelot111]

I guess I eat healthy. I eat apples and salads and broccoli and sneak peppers and carrots into food when possible and do meats and cheese in moderation and only go to 7-11 for honey buns like once a week. I have an unhealthy addiction to honey buns, so that takes some restraint. Anyway, I don't really consciously try to eat healthy as much as I just like variety in my food and have a vague understanding of proper calorie intake.

As for water, I have one or two moments a day where I realize I'm thirsty and promptly drink like a bottle and a half of water. Aside from the occasional beer or soda, that's that.

 

[Silly Hats]

My sister developed Anemia after 5 years of vegetarian and had a number of different solutions by different Dietitians, naturopaths and GPs saying that she should gradually introduce some more solid protein back into her diet as supplements weren't fully benefiting her enough.

Wut?

That has always boggled me, why the emphasis on drinking water? Everything liquid hydrates you, even beer and caffeine. Sure pop and beer has crap in it but so does water and it tastes a lot better than water!

I drink no water, drink other stuff though.

Because high carbonated, high caffeine, high calorie and high levels of sugar is good for your health.

It's not just about rehydration. Gives you higher chances of getting Kidney Stones, having diuretics can lead to urinary problems and more importantly it boosts the risk of Diabetes (in account with other factors) and more obviously damages teeth enamel. One of the biggest reason why Elderly people are in Hospital because they're Dehydrated which can lead to other complications, they are usually on medications and consume high sodium diets and they just don't drink enough.

Though, water is pure I find it unlikely that its more beneficial that relying of Soft Drinks and Alcohol rather than water, at the very least water is filtered and has fluoride unlike bottled waters. Its better for your skin, body, teeth and is effective at rehydration.