Food Cravings

[Barbie Guitars]

After a long dive I am usually starving. Most of the time I go home a hog down huge quantities of food- often craving meat. I realize that red meat- or meat in general isn't healthy in large amounts, and niether are fatty foods, but I seem to need them to restore energy. Is this healthy? Or do I need to put a leash on my Primitive and voracious appetite? If so I'd appreciate suggestions.

 

[Pastor]

often craving meat.
Is this healthy? Or do I need to put a leash on my Primitive and voracious appetite? If so I'd appreciate suggestions.

Got the same problem, the pasty doesnt know what the hell hit her when I come back after a dive. Its the suit you know, all that soapy rubbery slippiness :inlove Drives me wild :chatup She suggested I put a leash on it! So off I went to a specialist shop and things went from bad to worse! You want suggestions? Man dont go there! Some things are better left undisturbed :rcard
Happy diving

 

[oferdegi]

... but seriously now:
I do not believe in generalities about food (or about anything else, for that matter), people are very different from one another. Even the same person, in different times/circumstances, needs different substances. If your body says "I need red meat" at a certain time, just give it what it craves for. As long as these cravings are for real food and not downright abusive substances - go with them. The healthier your body is, like when you are in good physical fitness and mental state, the clearer will be the messages from your body. Play around and experiment with your diet, and you'll find for yourself what works best for you. Even when you think you've found it, keep an open mind - the body's needs evolve continuously - you'll see.

Happy hunting, carnivore - enjoy it!
Ofer

Just an anecdote about red meat: many years ago, when I was a student, my body needed red meat so badly that I got this incredibly intense high from eating a nice rare chunk of veal at a restaurant one day - from the first bite on, I became happier and more energized. I downed my own portion and then finished out my date's dish, and had this incredible feeling of physical well being and happiness that lasted for a few days! On the other hand, today I hardly eat any meat, and rarely crave for it - the circumstances have changed, so the body's needs follow.

 

[spaghetti]

My suggestion: being hungry after dive is facts of life, but there's something you can do in order to prevent a violent post-dive feeding frenzy.
Have two spoonfuls of honey before diving, and drink some tea with honey while diving (attach a thermos bottle under your float). This will equalize the loss of fluids and calories. Almost all the competitive spearos I know (who stay in water for five hours during competitions) do this: honey or sugar before dive, calory drinks during dive. I do the same myself.

 

[iceselkie]

hmm I tried that before all my dives at Telegraph, was close to passing out afterwards, and like Claire, only happy after I'd pigged out...

 

[efattah]

I have also experienced the weird meat craving, but my craving is actually for raw meat. A while ago I figured out how to safely prepare a blue steak (frozen, seared on all sides for a few seconds but 100% raw inside, plus you have to buy it fresh from a non-coloured meat source and freeze it immediately after purchasing it).

I slice it extremely thin, then dip it in ponzu sauce (raw tamari soy sauce + raw lemon juice).

I was feeling very weak, lethargic, and depressed for days. I craved blue steak with ponzu sauce. I made it, ate it, and enjoyed it tremendously. With each bite I felt better -- I had a weird drug like high as I ate it. After, I had tons of energy and my mood was awesome! The next day I craved it again, ate it again, and felt even better! The 3rd day, I did NOT crave it at all, but the energy & mood are still here!

I have taken all sorts of vitamins & supplements, but there seems to be some mystery ingredients or energies in certain foods which are not available from standard foods/supplements.

I read a book by a naturopath who claimed that raw or rare meat has certain electrical properties not found in other foods, and he claimed that your electrical or 'chi' state must be 'fed' this type of electrical energy-signature.

 

[iceselkie]

I think so. I actually had very rare steak tonight. It felt awesome. THis ponzu sauce, did you make it, or buy it? I've never heard of it.

 

[Gera]

It is best to adequately supply the body with needed fats and sugars. Exercise uses up a tremendous amount of energy; you might eat a simple meal first with simple sugars or starches and some fat; then while diving, drink sugar water with some oil mixed in so the blood sugar level does not spike. This will go directly toward energy needs while diving. The oil or fat you mix in should not be one that condenses to solid (as coconut oil does) below a certain temperature, because in colder waters it will not easily flow with the honey water (or you could use juice) through the container opening. Avocado or olive oil works perfectly.

Your body has some stores of glycogen; it can also use additional sugars-- that go right toward energy needs so they're not stored-- during exercise. You should keep blood sugar levels adequate and you will not need to go to the final resort, which is breaking down the body's protein structures for fuel. The latter is not optimal if other means are available.

You may try this; tell us how it works for you! Listen to the body in a relaxed way; with openness...

You will observe certain things happening and know what the situation is telling you.


When the body is working well, it will feel perfectly fine. The feeling of being ravenous will be forestalled.

 

[maytag]

Haven't tracked the full article down yet, but I saw this interesting abstract the other day and it came to mind after reading Gera's post...

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=pubmed&cmd=Retrieve&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=15778900&query_hl=2&itool=pubmed_docsum

Cheers,

 

[Fondueset]

beump - Interesting thread.

I was eating a HUGE breakfast at Telegraph Cove when I saw the gang walk by in wetsuits. Clearly it was necessary to get into the water immediately. For the first 45 minutes the volume of my stomach interefered spacially with my lung volume and there was a 'fun factory effect' going on in my esophagus. But the cold water diving seemed to really crank digestion and soon I became unusually comfortable.

I wonder about the steak effect. It reminds me of stories I've heard Ghengis Khan's team warming raw meat against the flanks of their horses. Maybe we should start packing steaks in our wetsuits.

 

[oferdegi]

Had no idea what a "blue steak" is, curiosity made me google for it, and here's what I found, for the sake of fellow non-americans out there:

Blue steak is the step below rare in "done-ness" (for lack of a better word). A "blue" steak is very red and cold in the center, while a "rare" steak is red and cool in the center.

Sounds good with the ponzu sauce - will definitely give it a shot sometime.

Ofer

 

[GALADION]

beump - Interesting thread.

I was eating a HUGE breakfast at Telegraph Cove when I saw the gang walk by in wetsuits. Clearly it was necessary to get into the water immediately. For the first 45 minutes the volume of my stomach interefered spacially with my lung volume ..............

Excuse my potential ignorance but I was under the impression that diving or even just swimming are very dangerous (may cause even heart arrest) after having a meal and should be avoided for at least three hours.
Am I wrong or you just took your chances?

 

[spaghetti]

Excuse my potential ignorance but I was under the impression that diving or even just swimming are very dangerous (may cause even heart arrest) after having a meal and should be avoided for at least three hours.
Am I wrong or you just took your chances?

I'd say the same thing, ignorance excuses included. My mother told me once: don't eat before dropping yourself in water. :naughty But she's not a physician: just a mother.
BTW: my post-dive food cravings are focused on bread and salame, that's kind of red meat too: (salame is a religion and deserves a BIG picture

 

[Spaniard]

I was always told not to dive on a full or even partially full stomach. I was so worried about this I never dared try even though my stomach rumbling 3 hours into a dive were scaring the fish. One day I said sod it, had a full English breakfast (bacon, fried eggs, sausage, beans, tomatoes, baked beans, toast, tea) and had the best hunting of my life. I ALWAYS have a decent meal BEFORE I dive now and alwys feel great.

 

[Fondueset]

I was definitely taking my chances Didn't know about heart arrest - but it wasn't that huge of a meal.

 

[oferdegi]

salame is a religion and deserves a BIG picture

Oh, man, that's an awesome icon you have there - I'm seriously thinking of converting to your religion!

 

[Fondueset]

Italy is a very mysterious place.

I generally eat something light but substantial about an hour or so before diving - particularly in cold water. If I dont' I get quite cold and, sometimes, a little naseuous from hunger

 

[iceselkie]

That is one big Salami you have there, Spaghetti.

rofl

 

[fcallagy]

never heard of eating before diving/swimming causing heart problems. I had heard the obvious bits about affecting times and in effect being upside down just after eating may not be the best. I was always warned about swimming and eating as it could lead to cramp ( never did for me) as for scuba when i started out a big meal was recommended to keep the body warmer ?

 

[JustinF]

Maybe something is wrong with me, but I eat all kinds of goodies before I dive. I am in very warm water mind you. But hours go by and I do not get hungry at all.

Afterwards I am not generally hungry unless it is meal time anyways.

That even goes for non relaxing dives where I am wrangling sharks and rays. During this time I am rarely given an opportunity to catch my breath. Usually I have to have a break several times and give my muscles a chance to recover from the lactic acid and catch my breath from breathing through the snorkle so heavily.

I can tell you this with the super high salinity here, man do I drink like MAD when I am done. Never really hungry though!