When I started this blog, I'd intended to post about stunt work and health. After reading over my posts, I realize I've been talking mostly about stunts, and not too much about health, so this post is dedicate to good nutrition and dieting.

What's a stunt man's diet?

It should be any man's ideal diet, which is to say lots of protein in whole food sources, and relatively little carbs and sugars. As amped as stuntwork is, we aren't the type of people who throw back red bulls and power bars to get juiced for a "big trick." Leave that to the skateboarders and BMXers.

Probably the only significance between a stuntman's diet and the average joe's healthy diet is the water retention. One of the most common annoyances of stuntwork is bathroom breaks. We just don't get them. Stuntmen are often required to where special suits or "body armor" for various stunts, or to be suspended in air or under water for long periods of time. And when you're dangling from a wire on a crane for an effects heavy green screen shot, the crew just doesn't have time to haul you down for a potty break (under water's a bit different, you can just wee in the suit). Thus, water retention becomes important. Hydration is extremely important in stuntwork. If you pass out, you're screwed: if you don't get seriously injured, you'll probably be fired or you just won't get hired for the next project. So, you need to retain enough water to keep hydrated, but if you but down a liter of water before you "wire up," your bladder might explode. Well, not explode, but it'll cramp up, and you'll be in enough pain that your stunt work won't be as affective.

The solution is salad. Salads usually contain a good deal of water through vegetables. Lettuce, celery, and the like are actually good ways to keep water retention high. Also, don't throw back the water before you climb into the harness, but keep the water at the ready once you start to sweat it out. Also, make sure you take the best antioxidant as well.

Finally, any stunt man's diet isn't complete without omega 3 capsules. Be sure to take yours!