Looking for criticism....

[RonP]

You can read about me here if you want to know more about what I'm doing: http://www.rmaxinternational.com/forum/showthread.php?p=160526#post160526

I really liked this issue of the magazine. The articles on diet, nutrition, hormones, and all. I thought I would post this asking for constructive criticism. Also wondering if maybe I should get a scale for my food?

I eat a Paleo Diet. Basically I eat ten to fifteen ounces of steak a day. Six eggs. A carrot, banana, apple, spinach, broccoli, grapes, nectarine, and whatever looks good in the fresh veggie/fruit section. Otherwise I don't have any problem cheating. I do it plenty often. Been eating like this since about November.

Supplements also since Nov.
1 gram Alpha Lipoic Acid, 1 gram Acetyl L-Carnitine, 500 mg Quercetin, 2 mg Biotin, a multi vitamin from Now Foods called Adam Formula. CoQ10 1 tsp., Omega 3 fish oil 1 tsp. Just started taking Resveratrol 200 mg. NOW suggested it works best with things like my Lipoic Acid and CoQ10 and their Tru-C BioComplex and Pycnogenol. So I'm taking the others also. Thinking of cutting back on the Lipoic Acid, and L-Carnitine, to once a day so would cut them in half. Mostly because of cost with the added Resveratrol now. I also take 3 mg of Melatonin for better sleep.

I should also mention. Yes I consider this a supplement. I do tanning. Since I work and live at night. I don't get much sun. Especially during winter. I know there is vitamin D in it. It is surprising how much good it does someone who lives like I do. It also feels great to get cooked like that when it's ten below outside.

Yes, I am rebuilding myself. Almost died 5 years ago. Haven't had a good chance to rebuild till now.

[Jacksonnyc]

I work nights. I take vit D (and recommend doing that, in gel cap). But you say tanning helps. Hadn't thought of trying it, partly because I remember hearing vague health concerns. You say you find it helps, how do you mean? Have you researched the health concerns with tanning?
Thanks.

[RonP]

I work nights. I take vit D (and recommend doing that, in gel cap). But you say tanning helps. Hadn't thought of trying it, partly because I remember hearing vague health concerns. You say you find it helps, how do you mean? Have you researched the health concerns with tanning?
Thanks.

Yes I have researched the health concerns with tanning. They are the very same health concerns associated with tanning in the sun itself. So? Don't overdo it. Simple.
As far as helping. I'm sure it's partly the vitamin D. Otherwise I can't explain simply feeling much better in the middle of the night. I'm sure it's partly because we need sun. I know sun rooms are very popular in Alaska. They may have a better explanation for you? It definitely makes a difference.

[Coach Jones]

Ron,

Not sure exactly what kind of critique you're looking for , brother.

As far as diet and supplements, it's hard to offer any critique since so very often it comesw down to how your diet effects YOU. So, how DOES your diet affect you?

How's your weight? Your performance? Your strength and energy levels?

[RonP]

Hi Coach Jones...

Basically I'm just laying it all out on the line so to speak. Open for criticism. Have done much trial and error in the past year on nutrition.
To answer on my weight, performance, strength and energy levels. Taking everything into consideration in my situation. I'm doing great. Have a long ways to go. I am confident that I am on the right track.

[Coach Jones]

Ron,

If you're happy with your progress and things are going the way you want, i'd say you're winning the battle. It's not the perfect diet and nutrition we can "dream up", it's the one we can follow.

Keep up the good work.

[LostArt]

Ron P,

Unfortunately you probably won't get much Vit. D from the sun if you bathe within two days after exposure and wash off the skin oils which are part of the D production. Here's the detailed explanation from Dr. Mercola.

http://blogs.mercola.com/sites/vitalvotes/archive/2009/04/30/shocking-update---sunshine-can-actually-decrease-your-vitamin-d-levels.aspx

This may or may not be 100% accurate, but Mercola is pretty much on top of his research.

And here's an extra that has a lot of good genreal info about Vit. D :)

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2005/02/02/vitamin-d-production.aspx

Lost Art

[Kathryn Woodall]

Hi Ron,

Glad to hear that this issue of the magazine resonated with you. :)

As Coach Jones said, it is hard to critique your diet and supplements without knowing more about your physiology. There are only two things I might offer for you to think about.

1) A larger array of vitamins and minerals would come from a bit more variety in your diet. It is possible that you are getting different types of meat as well as other veggies/fruits/nuts that you didn't list (or that were included in the "whatever looks good" comment). There is nothing wrong with the core you listed, but you might benefit from having other things weaved in and out from time to time.

2) I like to look at supplements as individual, isolated exercises. Unlike your diet where the amount will vary and will carry other vits/mins with it, supplements tend to be isolated and in quantity...much the way many people do isolated exercises. Sometimes that is needed and sometimes it isn't. For example, there is nothing wrong with doing pushups. Doing a few continuous cycles that involve variations of pushups can also be fine. However, doing 1000 pushups a day, day after day, year after year could create imbalance. In general there is nothing wrong with supplementing...but the same ones day after day, year afer year is probably not any more ideal than the 1000 pushups. For what that is worth, it is something to think about.

As for getting a scale...why do you think that maybe you should get one for your food?

Again, as Coach Jones said, if your health is improving and you are making progress with the things you are trying and finding an acceptable part of your habits, then you are on the right track. Keep up the good work.

:)

[RonP]

Hi Ron,

Glad to hear that this issue of the magazine resonated with you. :)

As Coach Jones said, it is hard to critique your diet and supplements without knowing more about your physiology. There are only two things I might offer for you to think about.

1) A larger array of vitamins and minerals would come from a bit more variety in your diet.

2) I like to look at supplements as individual, isolated exercises. ... In general there is nothing wrong with supplementing...but the same ones day after day, year afer year is probably not any more ideal than the 1000 pushups. For what that is worth, it is something to think about.

As for getting a scale...why do you think that maybe you should get one for your food?

Again, as Coach Jones said, if your health is improving and you are making progress with the things you are trying and finding an acceptable part of your habits, then you are on the right track. Keep up the good work.

:)
Thank you for responding, Kathryn...

Lets go backward on your list...
Yes I my health is improving. I'll get back to this at the end.

A scale. I have seen write ups that talk about so many grams of this or that if you are doing this or that. Also my logging software tracks food. It likes grams for input. I just estimate now. This is probably more of an excuse to become anal about food. When I really don't have any problem. This is one place I do a good job of inputting "perceived" like we do in exercises. How do I feel? Energy? Etc? If I feel a need I'll try things out. I'm surprised how often just water does it. Sometimes It's a lick of salt and water. Sometimes fruit or veggie. Whatever I need at the time. I do love my peanut butter and jelly sandwiches now and then. But I also wonder if it would really do me good to have a good track of what I eat in using a scale? It's probably not that important to be that exact?

I've wondered on the supplements. These newest things I'm taking like Resveratrol, CoQ10, Quercetin, Biotin, Lipoic Acid, and L-Carnatine. They are working. Along with my entire CST, I can swear I am becoming younger. I must confess that I don't look forward to cycling out of these. Lets progress and see. Right now I'm hoping I can just cycle in and out of each one of these individually. That is how much good they are doing me. I understand what you're getting at...I think.. We don't want to get dependent on something...adjust to it so it becomes a necessity instead of a helper. We can end up negating the good it does us?

I must admit in my diet I'm getting bored with my steak and eggs. I have and do eat other meats. I think possibly that I have needed a boost in protein lately. Been pouring it on. Am starting to feel like more fish and chicken now. Appreciate the advise that It's better to go ahead and look for other things. Will look for more "shotgunning" in my diet. I really liked barley grass when I took it. Haven't had it in months. Might hit it for a while again.

As far as physiology. Gee.... I could write a book on me. I"m 49, 182 pounds, 5'9" tall. Am rebuilding myself. Almost died from diabetes 5 years ago. Was losing weight from it. Doctors can't stop that. I have been in much worse shape than now. Have felt much older than now. I have a long ways to go.

[Kathryn Woodall]

Hi Ron,

First, sorry that it took so long to get back to you. There are lots of changes going on in my life at the moment and my schedule has been busy to say the least.

Unless there are medications dependent upon how many grams of carbohydrate you are getting, or if you are packing on fat when you think you should be losing, a scale isn't really necessary. The only times I really have people pull one out is if I suspect that they are misjudging how much they are really eating.

On the supplements: that is basically what I am saying. You can correct a deficiency and then over time actually create others. There are things that work in ratio in the body and consistently supplying one without the other leads to relative deficiencies.

If you can add the variety without getting out of kilter, it would be a positive thing to do.

Congrats on making changes to bring yourself back to health. It sounds as though you have a lot going on and a ways to go, but you have figured out that it is one day and one choice at a time. That is something you can be pleased about.

Take care and keep us posted.
:)