The Startup Diet (Lost 15 lbs while at an Incubator)

http://www.pixelmonkey.org/2010/10/23/the-startup-diet

by sak84 • 16 years ago

53 49 16 years ago

pixelmonkey.org

frankj• 16 years ago

So true.

metamemetics2• 16 years ago

Seems low on Zinc, Calcium, B12.

Even if you're a vegan you should consider Oysters. They are the most concentrated natural source of Zinc, do not have a central nervous system, and oyster farming actually helps clean the environment. Diets that are mainly vegetarian have too high of a copper to zinc ratio, so Oysters are a good way to offset this.

Also sardines are a really good, cheap source of Omega3 fatty acids, Calcium, Vitamin D, and B12, which also all might be low in such a diet. Also unlike much larger fish such as tuna, they contain much lower levels of Mercury and other heavy metals and are much more likely to be sustainably fished.

talbina2• 16 years ago

The problem with sardines is that they taste awful to most people. The industry is struggling, and the biggest sardine packager in massachusetts closed down this year.

The mercury argument is not correct. I believe all the credible research studies done have suggested only pregnant women and children are susceptible to the "high" mercury levels in canned tuna.

metamemetics2• 16 years ago

Independent of consensus on the threshold concentration for Mercury poisoning, What I explicitly stated is that sardines contain lower levels than tuna, which IS correct. By definition of them being a smaller fish with a shorter lifespan, less heavy metals and pollutants of ANY variety will have accumulated within them.

Also for environmental sustainability if we examine the Seafood Watch's website, we notice both farmed Oysters and Pacific Sardines on the Super Green List in the Best of the Best category http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/cr/cr_seafoodwatch/sfw_he... [ Further examination: On sardine page, only choice is "best choice". For tuna, everything is generally "avoid" unless it is "trole or pole" caught. ]

I object to the notions sardines taste fundamentally bad, I think Alton Brown's Avocado-Sardine sandwich was one of his few works of genius: http://www.seriouseats.com/2010/01/alton-browns-sardine-avoc...

jemfinch2• 16 years ago

> Even if you're a vegan you should consider Oysters.

Perhaps you mean, "Even if you're a vegan and you don't feel like being one anymore you should consider oysters."

lhnn• 16 years ago

"Two common ethical objections to the consumption of animals is that they feel pain (and that causing pain is wrong), and that their cultivation is environmentally harmful. On both of these, oysters are significantly closer to plants than animals."

---Wikipedia

Other discussion: http://ideas.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/04/08/why-shouldnt-vegan...

talbina2• 16 years ago

Surprised he didn't mention canned tuna.

pixelmonkey7• 16 years ago

We (I'm the author) actually had vegetarianism as a restriction in this case, my co-founder was a vegetarian. But I bet canned tuna would work well, too!

andrerobot2• 16 years ago

was? did he die?

skotzko2• 16 years ago

Awesome post. Another tip I've used before is to buy a really big container of high quality protein powder that has lots of supplemental vitamins/minerals. Makes for a nice quick meal if you're super busy, and can help satisfy any cravings for those with a sweet tooth.

When I've done this, I can usually get a large number of meals replaced in one container with a cost per meal between $2-4.

skotzko2• 16 years ago

You can also mix with water rather than milk which saves you additional costs and calories.

pixelmonkey7• 16 years ago

If we were living off protein powder and water, we would have REALLY been looking forward to the cheat days ;-)

brianmwang• 16 years ago

I did essentially this for quite a while to save money. >50% of my daily meals consisted of whey protein in water and peanut butter. Not exactly the most balanced diet, but it sure saved me a ton of cash.

jfb• 16 years ago

I lost a boatload of weight during YC, but that was largely due to my scheduling a quadruple wisdom tooth extraction about a month into it, before my COBRA ran out.

brc3• 16 years ago

For the lettuce, I recommend investigating growing your own. It's pretty easy to grow (climate allowing) and you can buy a 6 pack punnet of seedlings for a few dollars. Each seedling will supply probably 20-30 usable leaves over it's lifetime. The more you pick the more you get. It just needs some decent soil and a bit of water. If you let older plants go to flower and seed, chances are it will sprout again in large numbers without explictly replanting the seeds. Nothing is crisper than lettuce leaves plucked straight from the plant. Soggy lettuce in the fridge is not fun.

Construct• 16 years ago

This sounds delicious, thanks for the advice. Do you ever have problems with pests?

brc3• 16 years ago

Not with the lettuce, somehow. I have a lot of trouble with caterpillars on my other vegies such as broccoli, but they don't seem to eat the lettuce much. Maybe I'm just lucky. I have some organic bug spray but I don't use it much, I find it easier to just go and squash any uninvited visitors, and it's good thinking time to spend 5 minutes a day just looking for bugs (har har). I'm a rank amateur at growing - I experience tomato crop failures all the time. But for hardy stuff like lettuce and (most) herbs, it's really quite simple and rewarding.

I'm quite lucky with my climate though, but for a lot of people in California they should be similarly blessed (I'm not in California).

One thing I didn't note was that you'll need to plant your seedlings about 3-4 weeks before you're ready to start harvesting. But get it right and you should have an endless supply from about 6-10 plants, and you don't need much space for this. Just choose lettuce that the whole plant doesn't need to be harvested - ie, not 'iceberg' lettuce.

edit : here's a pic of my first crop about 4 weeks after planting. It eventually grew to about 4 feet tall. There's a couple of different varieties in here, I now only go for the ones like in the original article with a roundish leaf.

http://i54.tinypic.com/332p94k.jpg

whyenot2• 16 years ago

Not to mention, the slugs are a free source of protein!

Growing your own lettuce is great advice, and with the early fall rains in the bay area this year, this is the perfect time to get started. Carrots and radishes are other easy veggies to grow yourself this time of year.

sliverstorm2• 16 years ago

That is an amazing idea. I wish I had even a little arable land.

brc3• 16 years ago

You don't need much. Even a planter box on a sunny balcony would yield a useful amount.

rms• 16 years ago

Living in Berkeley gives me access to arguably the best grocery store in the USA, the Berkeley Bowl. 3 pound bags of spring mix lettuce are $4.50.

chipsy• 16 years ago

I recommend cottage cheese for an alternative protein source. I'm having an awful lot of it right now...

pixelmonkey7• 16 years ago

That's a good point. Some other tricks we used for low-cost and healthy snacking:

- pick crunchy veggies (carrots, peppers, cucumbers), slice into strips, package into small ziplock bags (prep ahead of time)

- hummus, though make sure to buy larger sizes, since they tend to gouge the prices on the smaller sizes

- peanut butter and celery (oldie but goodie)

- creamed spinach (frozen), can be eaten straight up or as a dip for veggies; I also used to add a little low-fat cheddar cheese

templaedhel• 16 years ago

I cannot eat celery. I think I loose more calories then I gain eating that stuff, however, the rest of this list makes sense. I already eat hummus all he time, and find it's a great snack food to keep energy up.

kek• 16 years ago

I like the use of legumes as a base. Ever think of trying dried beans over canned? They are generally cheaper per serving as well as lower in sodium.

pixelmonkey7• 16 years ago

One of the founders in our "startup house" came back to NYC and tried a version of our diet, except he swapped in dried beans for canned to save even more money. Soaking them the night before is an extra step, but it will likely work the same way.

I'd love to report success, but unfortunately he only stuck with the diet for a couple of weeks. Not enough data. Don't think it had to do with the dried bean choice though. I think regimented diets like ours are just easier to do with two people.

Shooter• 16 years ago

A pressure cooker is best if you're using dried beans...you can cook (everything) faster and retain more nutrients.

Also, your body will adapt very quickly if you start consuming legumes consistently...you will overcome the bloating/flatulence issues in no time. It's best to make the transition slowly, though.

charlief3• 16 years ago

1) While not part of the diet, sleep is highly related to the magnitude of your cravings. Sleep 7 hours. Sleep less and you will destabilize your blood sugar by expending too many calories.

2) Bean-based diets have issues, and could lead to bloating and other not so pleasant things, especially if you aren't a solo founder. Easier-to-digest proteins, flax seeds and nuts, cottage cheese, tofu, mixing it up can help a bit.

3) A bit contradictory here: "Healthy, energy-filled food to enhance productivity Low daily calorie intake to prevent weight gain" If you're going to eat fewer calories, your energy is going to drop. Make sure you eat enough calories, and keep it complex to keep your blood sugar stable.

4) If you have a propensity to binge, don't exercise really hard, favor frequent, consistent exercise rather than rare, intense ones.

5) Set a cut off time in the evening, and absolutely do not eat after that time. Do not eat right before you go to bed.

stcredzero2• 16 years ago

2) Bean-based diets have issues, and could lead to bloating and other not so pleasant things, especially if you aren't a solo founder

Possibly suggested as a way to become a solo founder!

charlief3• 16 years ago

I wouldn't be surprised if the opposite is true. Maybe hackers find flatulence flattering :)

carbocation2• 16 years ago

Can you give citations for (1) and (3)? Your other points are psychological and seem reasonable, but (1) and (3) are addressing measurable conditions (mainly hypoglycemia). I'd like to see evidence for what you claim.

charlief3• 16 years ago

My post above is based on regular anecdotes. I have a couple successful personal trainers in my family, and this is some of the most fundamental advice they provide.

For those interested in the relationship between sleep and metabolism:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1991337/

This is an interesting topic to explore, so if you find any additional papers that substantiate or refute some of the advice, please feel free to share. I will also conduct further research.

whyenot2• 16 years ago

Bean-based diets have issues, and could lead to bloating and other not so pleasant things, especially if you aren't a solo founder. Easier-to-digest proteins, flax seeds and nuts, cottage cheese, tofu, mixing it up can help a bit.

You should smell what happens when a vegetarian starts eating meat again. With any new diet it takes your gut microflora some time to adapt. There is absolutely nothing wrong with eating a lot of beans. They are a cheap and healthy protein source. Still, it's always a good idea to have a varied diet.

sliverstorm2• 16 years ago

I would love to incorporate more nuts into my diet- I love them- but they seem very expensive as a rule. Is that just the way it is, or is there a cheap way to get nuts going?

I've tried buying a large thing of a nut variety, counting on the discounts of buying in bulk, but... I really like nuts. It usually takes me a week or less to go through it.

PStamatiou• 16 years ago

I had a similar post earlier this summer:

The Startup Diet: How I lost 35lbs while working overtime http://paulstamatiou.com/programmers-startup-diet-how-i-lost...

eogas• 16 years ago

Hah, the "Common Programmer Health Problems" article you link to says that being a guitarist is worse for your hands than being a programmer. I wonder if being both is doubly bad. And I wonder if the fact that I play 12's is even worse. Maybe I should start doing hand exercises.

Also, please tell me you got like ten free pairs of those shoes for doing that commercial.

stcredzero2• 16 years ago

I lost 15 pounds once with "the MMO diet." Simply forget to eat on the weekend until Sunday evening, then go to Subway.

I also lost 10 pounds once with the "walk 25 minutes to the office and another 25 minutes back home" program.

nkassis• 16 years ago

I'm doing the 25 minutes to work one right now, it includes a horrible hill too.

xiaoma• 16 years ago

Ah yes. I did that one. I called it the "Starcraft diet".

abp• 16 years ago

I just have 20 minutes to go to office and back, each way.

But before eating slowly and with pleasure, that had no effect. Now i'm losing a lot of weight, i think.

Need a scale to confirm that. :)

guynamedloren2• 16 years ago

I do not find this "Startup Diet" to be that miraculous. To be honest, I quit reading the article about 1/4 the way through (and skimmed the rest) when the author implied that there was some huge revelation that prompted the need for this lifestyle change (ie- they only had $20,000 between two people and their number one cost was food). I understand how easy it is to blow money on food, but it doesn't take a "Startup Diet" to live on the cheap while eating healthy.

I'm in college, and I budget myself $35/week for food, putting me at $5 a day. I eat very comfortably and I almost never eat leftovers. If I wanted to, I'm sure I could live on as $20/week comfortably, but I happen to enjoy the social aspect (or convenience) of eating out occasionally.

There's no secret or trick or magical diet, and you can pretty much eat whatever you want - you don't have to limit yourself to lettuce and beans. I'll give some insight on what works for me.

I buy groceries every Sunday night, spending $15-20 each week. My weekly purchase usually consists of some combination of the following: frozen chicken breasts, pork shoulder, eggs, asparagus, onions, carrots, apples, oranges, bananas, bread, turkey, peanut butter, jelly, sliced cheese, yogurt, rice, pasta, tortillas, nuts, canned tuna, mayonnaise, mustard, crackers, and occasionally canned soup.

Some things last obviously longer than a week (rice, frozen chicken, peanut butter, jelly, etc). During those weeks I usually spend $20+, resulting in less spent the following weeks. I always buy generic-brand items, except for certain items where quality can be an issue (tuna). I have a drawer full of spices that get used constantly. Like I said before, I almost never eat leftovers. I prepare as much food as I can eat in a single sitting.

Here's what I don't buy: frozen food (pizzas, hot pockets, tv dinners, etc), snacks, junk food, soda, milk (lactose intolerant), beef (usually too expensive), coffee, sugary drinks (Gatorade, lemonade, fruit juice), name-brand items, and beer.

Of my $35 weekly budget, $15-20 is spent on groceries and the rest is spent eating out. Usually I eat out because there is simply not a free hour in the day to run back to my apartment and whip a sandwich together between classes/meetings. Eating out, for me, means grabbing a sandwich from Subway or Potbelly, or stuffing my face with delicious Chinese buffet food with friends if I really feel like splurging ($7.50). On the weekends I'll go crazy and get a huge slice of pizza and soda from Sam's club ($2.80?).

So there you go. You can eat almost whatever you want, healthy or unhealthy, for $35 or less each week. Theres no trick or magical formula.

pixelmonkey7• 16 years ago

I think you missed the point of my article (which is OK, as you admitted to only reading 1/4 of it). It's not just about saving money. It's about saving money + eating healthy + saving time + feeling productive + rewarding yourself for a week of focused work.

All of the above. Your diet is good at saving money, and you follow many of the same ideas we did -- plan ahead, shop for the week, stay away from junk food, etc. But we turned it into a system, we turned eating into a routine, and we treated our kitchen as the command center for our company and the meal factory for our diet.

This freed up time to work the requisite long hours incubated startups tend to require, while counteracting the general sedentary and exercise-deficient nature of startup work in the early stages.

guynamedloren2• 16 years ago

I decided to read through the rest of the article right before your comment. It pretty much went where I thought it was going. I do realize it was not just about saving money, but all of the other things you listed. My eating habits accomplish the exact same things (saving money, eating healthy, saving time, feeling productive, etc). The only point I you might be able to argue is saving time. As it turns out, cooking doesn't really take that long. In fact, I think I could cook, eat, and clean faster than I could walk to a crappy campus restaurant, eat, and walk back. Hence, time saved.

The major difference lies in the consumed food. You eat the same (arguably boring) food over and over, and I eat almost whatever I want, switching it up every week and keeping it delicious.

andrerobot2• 16 years ago

Using lettuce instead of tortillas is brilliant! Tortillas account for a big chunk of the costs in a wrap.

The Startup Diet (Lost 15 lbs while at an Incubator)

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