My COVID life changes

[Kyle]

So when the pandemic started and we were all stuck in isolation (I still am- I either work from home or I work in a satellite office where I'm the only one there), I decided to make some life changes. I started with something easyish- caffeine. The first week I went from drinking two 16 ounce mugs every morning (plus a couple diet softdrinks in the day) to drinking just one, and not having any caffeine the rest of the day. That week was a little tough, but not really that bad. The following week I went down to one 16-ounce mug, and it was easy. Then I went to an 8-ounce mug. Then a half filled 8-ounce mug. And then after four weeks I was off caffeine completely. That was probably three months ago? What a change. I don't have the energy swings during the day. Even when I wake up tired, I just start my day and I'm fine. I can't recommend enough quitting caffeine. It's been wonderful.

So my next thing was my health. At the beginning of the pandemic I went for my first physical in 15 years. My blood pressure was high (not killer high, but concerning: 155/100) and my cholesterol was high. So they put me on medication for those and, after weeks of dicking around with the dosages, finally got both my blood pressure and my cholesterol under control. At my "good news" follow up last week, my doctor said, "Yeah, that's great. But you know what would be better? Not having to take medication for that- so, you know, you don't have a heart attack in your mid 50s." I stupidly said, "Yeah, that would be great!" and he said without hesitation, "Then you have to lose weight. You're way too overweight" (I'm at an all-time high of 298). So he gave me homework- I watched a documentary on Netflix (Gamechangers- it was good, but a little too loose with the science) and read a book (How Not to Diet- I'm about a third of the way through it, but I like it because it's a science based look at nutrition and basically is discussing studies and various research for 600 pages). So all of this convinced me to...

...become a vegan. Starting yesterday I'm on a "plant-based diet" (which is how they sell veganism to men, it sounds more manly, I guess). No meat, no eggs, no dairy or animal products (except honey- I'm allowing myself that for the gluten free bread I make). My family is on board- my wife is going vegetarian (she's not giving up dairy) and the kids can eat what we're making or make themselves a sandwich.

I have no idea if this is going to be difficult or not, but I'm kind of excited to try something new. I'll keep y'all updated here when I remember.

[Tahlvin]

Good luck!

Vegetarianism seems interesting, but I'm too much of a carnivore to go all-in. I have been trying to cut back on the amount of meat that I eat, particularly red meat.

And keep walking/running! I've found that's one of the bigger calorie burning exercises you can do, besides perhaps swimming.

[Kyle]

[poorpete]

I also stopped caffeine in the pandemic! I would do a drink or two a day, but when pandemic made the local coffee shop and Starbucks unavailable, I decided not to bother to find alternatives or make-it-from-home. I also knew that it would be better for my health and anxiety (which was through the roof in March). When I tried a mocha in late April, it didn't do much positive, so decided I was officially done. I've also started drinking sparkling water, which I've never been a fan of, but now I enjoy it, and helps satiate my two most pressing needs: hydration and taste. This also really cut my sugar intake too. My main reason for coffee at work (prior to going for nice walks with Mrs. Darks) was so I wouldn't yawn so much in meetings, but having no meetings really fixed that issue.

Both me and my kids have also cut diary mostly from our diets a few months ago. It hasn't really moved my weight, I still overeat a bit and need to exercise more, but it has helped with the digestive issues we have. I miss ice cream but dairy-free stuff is pretty good. Actually, dairy free american cheese from Good Planet is pretty great. We still allow us the occasional pizza or desert with dairy, but so far so good!


(i've also not had alcohol since covid, but that dates back a few years now)

[Kyle]

The other thing about quitting caffeine is that I have to pee way less. I only realized this about a month after I quit when I noticed I was going to the bathroom only half as much. And I'm drinking the same amount of water, so I looked into it. But caffeine is a diuretic which makes you feel like you have to pee when your bladder isn't even close to being full. So that's pretty cool.

Coincidentally, I have ALSO started drinking sparkling water during the pandemic. Topo Chico is delightful.

[Mike]

Dude! I'm super proud of you... and more than a little jealous. You've inspired me to make a plan for quitting caffeine. And I've been wanting to move to more plant-based foods (for health and environment reasons), but it's slow going when I dislike the taste of so many plants. I suck.

[Phoebe]

Wow, all this is really awesome and inspiring to read! I have lost weight being on a much more vegetarian diet during covid, since I have to cook so many vegetarian meals - I just end up eating those most of the time.

Like Mike says about not liking the taste, the lucky thing is I love vegetables. However, I have found that the avenue of entry via Asian food is very effective with kids, because a lot of people who don't like the taste and texture of vegetables will enjoy them if they are part of a really delicious Chinese or Thai food sauce and meal. So we do a lot of that type of cooking at home, and the plant-based substitute products you can buy go really well with this type of food. The substitute burgers and stuff are also just so delicious and satisfying for meat eaters now. My complaint is that they're very expensive - tofu is reasonable for what you're getting but so much of it is so pricey! Like the nice little frozen fake chicken tenders or burgers? Very dear in price.

Anyway, totally agree with what y'all are saying about caffeine and alcohol as well. I was not a coffee drinker but made a deliberate choice to start due to my specific family history, and it definitely has effects on your energy levels and alertness at different times of day. I want to hear more about the sparkling water situation and which ones you recommend. Sometimes my grocery store will substitute spindrift waters when they're out of the specific flavor I want, and I find them absolutely delicious particularly anything with strawberry. Always on the lookout for a good sparkly water or flavored water!

I have drunk a lot less alcohol ever since going on these mild but pleasant antidepressants and I'm pretty sure there's a relationship of self medication there. Sometimes it's just that you went to a wine tasting, of course, and I don't want to be denying myself a wine tasting, but there were other times that social anxiety was being masked by having drinks at these events, as it gives you something to do with your hands and something to divert you from having to make small talk with people.

[poorpete]

For sparkling water, the regional Wegmans chain has their own brand. In January I decided to taste test all their sparkling water flavors. Then I'd narrow it down until I figured out my favs. Yes, I turned it into a competition. I must gamify EVERYTHING!

Top Tier, I buy two-a-week of each:
Peach (the gold standard), Mandarin Orange (tastes like fun, watered-down orange soda), Lemon Lime (a less tasty Sprite), Mixed Berry (I dunno what it compares to but I like it)

Second Tier, I buy one-a-week each:
Ginger (not as good as Ale or Beer, but solid), Lemon, Lime, Grapefruit (actually tastes healthy), Watermelon

Third Tier, don't usually buy, but if they're out of other's they're ok replacements:
Dragon Fruit Berry, Blackberry Tangerine, Mango Lime, Raspberry, Passion Fruit, Orange Pineapple, Tangerine Lime

Fourth Tier, maybe someone else's favs, but I avoid:
Black Cherry Vanilla, Cherry Pomegranate

Didn't Test:
Plain (again, I wanted taste and hydration (sparkly is an added bonus (not the selling-point)))

[Kyle]

[Mike]

And that's where I'm at... I've been experimenting with a lot of bean ideas. For example, I adapted your peanutbutter pork pasta recipe into a spicy peanutbutter hummus (excellent) and spicy peanutbutter baked beans (needs work). And I'm on a quest for a homemade bean burger that is both tasty and satisfying. It doesn't have to taste like beef, but there's an elusive flavor/texture combo that I keep getting closer to.

[DMDarcs]

Good for you, Kyle. I suppose veganism makes a lot of sense for you, with your already noted issues with dairy. I had a friend in college who accidentally became vegan when she became lactose intolerant. She realized that she already wasn't eating that much meat anyway, and we were in an area that could support a vegan diet, so she just made the switch.

I have not made any healthy life changes at all. My coffee consumption dropped off dramatically as I don't know how to use the coffee maker at home, and I was usually only drinking coffee at work - because it was there in the morning. (My room is next door to the kitchen, so I walk over when I'm bored.) I don't think the change in caffeine intake has really done a whole lot for me. I am in the opposite case of many of you, in that I want to gain weight and can't seem to. My weight has never been a health issue, so I've never sought help on it, but my weight tends not to vary more than a seven pound window or so.

Really the only life change I've made is that I've started shaving more. The longest my beard has gone is four day's growth - which for me is actually a pretty significant amount of growth. I didn't want to fall into the "work at home" stereotype, and it's a few moments that are just for me.

[Phoebe]

If you're used to shaving, also might make you feel like your usual professional self under the odd circumstances. But I must say if I were a man, as soon as I could grow gray hair I would want to have a long wispy beard fu manchu style. That would be hard to resist as a plan.

[Tahlvin]

I’ve started doing logic grid puzzles to keep my mind sharp. That’s not necessarily pandemic related, but it is something I’ve started on in an effort of self improvement. I’m also working on Microsoft flight simulator in the hope that I’ll renew my pilots license in the not too distant future.

[Kyle]

Update- So I'm a week an a half vegan. The change has been far less difficult than I thought. I'm almost never hungry. I'm satisfied with my meals (unlike when you're on some fixed diet of only certain foods that you get bored of). I've been walking 2 miles every morning. I've lost seven pounds.

The key is the food variety. Tonight we're having "orange chicken" with air fried cauliflower instead of chicken (which tastes nothing like chicken, but is delicious in its own right) served on vegan, gluten free noodles. Yesterday we had lentil soup and grilled cheese (vegan/dairy free cheese for me). The day before that we had vegetarian chili. I have a smoothie (coconut milk and fruit) for breakfast every morning to cool down after my walk, and for lunch this week I'm mostly eating fruit- apples and oranges. It's filling and been fairly easy.

The other thing is makes it easier is that my energy levels are way up (which is the opposite effect of what usually happens when I start a "diet."). I'm sleeping better and feeling so much better during the day. So that makes it much easier.

My resting pulse has also dropped 10 beats (from 82 to 72) since I started this.

[Tahlvin]

[Stan]

[Phoebe]

I don't know if you have watched that popular vegan promotion documentary on Netflix, but they reported similar physiological benefits after only a brief. Of strictly vegan eating. anytime I actually want you to make a period you don't do what I want but now you make the period. And look you just said it twice and didn't do anything with punctuation! Incomprehensible monster.

Anyway, it is said by some that the physiological benefits happen quickly and are significant. I don't go all the way with veganism but have seen similar benefits just from massively cutting down the amount of meat in the diet and massively upping the number of vegetables relative to other things. And I have no dairy allergy so that type of animal product is okay. Whatever the pro dairy gene is
.. Maybe it is actually a Swiss thing?

[Kyle]

[Kyle]

Y’all. I’m becoming one of those vegans that won’t shut up about being vegan. I love it!

So the last ten days have been tough on my family’s schedule and I got super lax about my not-snacking and not having seconds. I ate to excess and I even had some white claws one night. I haven’t walked on the treadmill until yesterday. I knew that I probably put on all the weight I lost so I haven’t weighed myself until this morning.

But I lost another pound! When I wasn’t trying!

And this thing about having more endurance is for real. When I got back on the treadmill yesterday I decided to up my pace to push myself, and not only could I do it, but it was the easiest walk I’ve had so far.

I’m never going back. A strict plant based diet is amazing.

[bralbovsky]

My entry into shifting the balance between plant and animal protein was "Forks over knives" which I watched on a flight a number of years ago.
There's a ton of statistical analysis. Their thesis is that you need to go to less than 15% animal protein, which basically means one day a week.
My difficulty is being quarantined with someone who is successfully on keto, so...all the dead animals.
Regardless, my kid's family is vegetarian, and when I'm in China, protein is at a premium, so my ratio goes way down. While I'm there, I can manage a tenth floor walkup, and bicycle for days, and never get blood clots in my lungs (like now).