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Andy/Baldy - feed me

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    Art ScottArt Scott Registered Users Posts: 8,959 Major grins
    edited March 16, 2008
    jfriend wrote:
    I know this is a wishful post, full of idealism, and I'm just a peon in the nutrition/food world of government but hey I'm dreaming right now so I might as well dream big...

    I'm really appalled at what our U.S. government has done and continues to do to mess up everything related to food in this country. It's making us fat and sick and giving us heart disease and cancer at record rates. The research is out there and there seems to be little disagreement that it's right. We know how to be healthier, but the powerful food lobbies stand in the way and appear to have massive influence with the FDA.

    I'm wondering what we can do to try to get things changed. Some things that bum me out (just a few for starters):
    • The food pyramid is all messed up and the FDA is way behind the times
    • All communication about what is and isn't healthy is so watered down so as not to offend some food-related business that no real message is getting through.
    • Feed for the beef industry is subsidized by our tax dollars.
    • Fruits and vegetables destined for direct human consumption are not subsidized. Ironically, they can sometimes get subsidized if they are grown for animal consumption.
    • Corn is subsidized (that's one reason that high fructose corn syrup is cheap).
    • Milk is subsidized.
    If we want our children to grow up knowing about proper diet and health and eating that way, we have to educate them ourselves and fight against what our government tries to teach them in school and occasionally feed them.

    So, I'd like to see some thing change:
    • A healthier food pyramid with a real emphais on fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Dr. F has a pretty good pyramid we could use.
    • Either get rid of all farm subsidies and deploy the money in more useful directions or direct the subsidies at things that really make us healthy
    • Somehow change the FDA so it's more about keeping America healthy than it is serving the needs of the food industry.
    So, I'm wondering what other things you all would add to this list of things that should change and what ideas anyone has for how we might start a ball rolling towards some change.

    Anyone else want to try to do something to change this? Have any ideas about existing organizations working in this direction?

    Get our laws like those of most of Europe when it comes to genetic engineering and use of chemical fertilizers and steroids...really folks if steroid use is against the law for atheletes then why is it not against the law to feed them to our food supply (food suply encomapsses both animal and veggie sources)...that way what is marked/marketed as "organic" truly would be organic......
    not only would our food taste better but hell it would actually be better for you........Okay if we grew our food as done in Europe our fruit and veggies would come home with us with the possibility of having a few bugs living on and in them......how many of you could slice an apple and see a worm and toss that slice with worm into your VitaMix....not many of us I bet.....when in the Czech Republic running around with the 4 cross country runners I spent a wonderful 3 weeks with I was really scolded and then made fun of in Czech for opening a plum and removing the worm in side by one of the runners who then told everyone she saw as we walked done the road what the wimpy american did......as it was pointed out to me that worm is protein and when we were ruled by the communist we had to get protein where ever we could and what do you think that worm would taste like.....she then turned to hand me another plum and said...PLUM!! take do not open just put into mouth and eat...then spit seed.....if there were any worms in any of the plums I had before coming back to the states I never tasted them or they tasted just like plum.....I use plums a lot here and on other boards because if you are over 25 yrs old most can remember Plums that did not weigh in at 1/4lb each....they were meant by nature to be eaten whole...not sliced like apples or oranges (at least oranges come segmented)........so if everything was truly organic there would be a sharp rise for certain insects (mantis and such) for controlling certain insects.....but hey I have never been attacked by a mantis...I have had the mantis technique/form used on me but hey he was a student of Mr. Li.....

    Would I currently eat a worm from an american fruit..depends if it was a truly organic fruit...it I cpould tell it had been genetically engineered (by Chemical fertilizer even) not a chance cause that darn thing could probably gnaw its way out of my stomach from the steroids it had ingested or pack a KO punch and knock out a tooth to get out of my mouth........rolleyes1.gif


    Ban all fast food in schools.....

    Oh hell just ban fast food....if you can't do it healthy don't serve or sell it.....:Dwings.gif

    sorry for the rant...but this is a sore spot for me especially since no insurance company would ever pay for weight loss meds......and all diets thatI was pointed to I gained weight on no matter if they were followed to the letter or not.......then when I became dibetic and found that all the so called safe (processed) diet food (slim fast, various protein bars and such) were loaded with sugar and other carbs I started questioning what my doctor(s) were telling me and then I had to find new doctors but it seems they are all of the same school of thought...you're diabetic shoot your insulin accept the fact that your kidneys will fail and you will die.....it happens to all diabetics.....but I lost weight in Europe and even ate ice cream and all kinds of pastries (gawd I LOVE POPPY SEED PASTRIES...Love 'em........no one had an answer......oh yeah I do not care for our doctors either........


    Could we make any changes possible if someone were to get an internet petition going and after 10K or 100K sigs send off to govt in each state and also DC.....whom ever drafted it would need to be quite a linguist so there would be no grammatical or typing errors....but it is an idea and an election yrmwink.gif
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    gregneilgregneil Registered Users Posts: 255 Major grins
    edited March 16, 2008
    zweiblumen wrote:
    :grim

    I used to drink soda by the gallon... I calculated at one time that I was drinking ~6 liters of the crap a day :puke1 :puke1. Ugh. FWIW, I stopped drinking soda about 8 months ago (I was down to < 1 liter/day) and I lost 2 inches around my waist by simply switching from Coke to unsweetened Iced Tea (no idea about weight as I didn't weigh myself).

    Me too. I had to have a couple large cokes every day. The headaches I'd get when I went a day without... horrible. So glad that's over! I've been on the China Study diet for 6 months, and have never felt better.
    There's a thin line between genius and stupid.
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    zweiblumenzweiblumen Registered Users Posts: 369 Major grins
    edited March 16, 2008
    gregneil wrote:
    Me too. I had to have a couple large cokes every day. The headaches I'd get when I went a day without... horrible. So glad that's over! I've been on the China Study diet for 6 months, and have never felt better.

    My headaches were downright debilitating. And it wasn't one day... if I went 4 or 5 hours without a coke (and other sodas wouldn't do it, I need coke-a-cola) I would start to get a migraine. I tried to stop soda cold turkey like I did smoking, and that did NOT work. Honestly cigarettes were easier for me to quit than soda.
    Travis
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    Art ScottArt Scott Registered Users Posts: 8,959 Major grins
    edited March 16, 2008
    zweiblumen wrote:
    My headaches were downright debilitating. And it wasn't one day... if I went 4 or 5 hours without a coke (and other sodas wouldn't do it, I need coke-a-cola) I would start to get a migraine. I tried to stop soda cold turkey like I did smoking, and that did NOT work. Honestly cigarettes were easier for me to quit than soda.

    Dang there must be something wrong with me...less than a year ago I was drinking a minimum of 6 -2litres a day 7 days a week (diet Mt dew and diet dr.pepper) have went over 2 weeks and drank any and found a 2 litre in my work tool box and gave it away on friday....I have never gotten a headache from not having that stuff....did not bother me in The Czech Republic to not beable to get a soda everyday (in 3 weeks I had 2 small bottles of almost diet coke).......and it never kept me awake...I can sit down drink a 2 liter of mt dew and go straight to sleep no prob....I know people that drink a can of it and cant sleep for amny hours from the buzz they get....Hmmmmmmm

    However I still drink upto 2 gallons of tea.....mostly herbal (mix of ganoderma lucidium{shrooms}, african red bush {rooibos}, damiana, peppermint and stevia) and some green tea (some store bought liptons and some I brew my self).....and at least 108 ounces(2 54 ounce mugs) of water while at work and my current MD is very surprised I don't get up during the night to urinate since I am diabetic....Hmmmmm...personally me thinks it be the "shrooms".......

    so far I am having a tough time getting off meat and meat by-products.....it is so hard to walk by things like andouille(sp) sausage, fish, shrimp, Mahi mahi and such....not really having a hard time with steak (except givng up bison and bison sausage) have not ate pork but once in over a year.....already missing my phaesant, quail, rabbit and squirrel...........
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    DavidTODavidTO Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 19,160 Major grins
    edited March 16, 2008
    jfriend wrote:

    Anyone else want to try to do something to change this? Have any ideas about existing organizations working in this direction?


    John, have you read Harvest For Hope yet? I'm most of the way through it, and so far Goodall has me convinced that our buying power is our best tool for change. That and educating those around us. If you haven't read it, I suggest you do. My only warning is that the list of things that tick you off about food will get much longer and more disturbing.

    It's interesting, I knew so much of this already, somewhere in the back of my brain. But to hear it put together the way it's been in that book just changes it.
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    DavidTODavidTO Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 19,160 Major grins
    edited March 16, 2008
    Art Scott wrote:
    Ban all fast food in schools.....


    This angers me beyond belief. This is a serious WTF for me. Sure, the food we got in school wasn't healthy in terms of what we're talking about, but at least it was made by people I knew. The big fat ladies behind the counter!

    Seriously, though, the commercialization of our schools really ticks me off.
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    Ann McRaeAnn McRae Registered Users Posts: 4,584 Major grins
    edited March 16, 2008
    DavidTO wrote:
    This angers me beyond belief. This is a serious WTF for me. Sure, the food we got in school wasn't healthy in terms of what we're talking about, but at least it was made by people I knew. The big fat ladies behind the counter!

    Seriously, though, the commercialization of our schools really ticks me off.

    Up here, there is a large movement to take "bad" food choices out of schools. The only schools with cafeterias in them are the high schools. Other grades are set up with the expectation that if mom isn't going to be home at lunch the kid can bring their food with them. But school boards have banned all brand advertising - so a consequence has been scoreboards in gyms with Pepsi logos have been taken out. They are also replacing the items in the vending machines. Taking out the chips and chocolate and replacing with "healthier" choices.
    The company I work for just added sandwiches to their vending machine - you do not want to read the labels on those sandwiches (>65% calories from fat) so I wouldn't be surprised if this was the case with the school vending machines. At least it is a start to pay attention.

    Have any of you seen Jamie Oliver's TV series where he reformed the food service in the British schools? Pretty eye opening.
    At the same time, I think it is a parents right and choice to what is fed to their kids, and empowering the kids with the right info to know how to make good choices now should make them better adults. (I say this whimsically as I watch my decision making teens rolleyes1.gif )


    (Just read a few more articles at nutritionresearchcenter.org - pushing supplements rather than real food is quite bothersome - they seem to be providing good basic info and then polluting it by advocating pills rather than real food.
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    Mike LaneMike Lane Registered Users Posts: 7,106 Major grins
    edited March 16, 2008
    DavidTO wrote:
    This angers me beyond belief. This is a serious WTF for me. Sure, the food we got in school wasn't healthy in terms of what we're talking about, but at least it was made by people I knew. The big fat ladies behind the counter!

    Seriously, though, the commercialization of our schools really ticks me off.
    Don't read No Logo, you'll be hating on everything.
    Y'all don't want to hear me, you just want to dance.

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    DavidTODavidTO Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 19,160 Major grins
    edited March 16, 2008
    Mike Lane wrote:
    Don't read No Logo, you'll be hating on everything.


    I own it. Just need to find the time to finish it (not far into it). I gotta stop buying books that I have to read, because I don't. I can listen during my commute. But read? Just doesn't fit in. But that one, I'll finish.
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    Mike LaneMike Lane Registered Users Posts: 7,106 Major grins
    edited March 16, 2008
    DavidTO wrote:
    I own it. Just need to find the time to finish it (not far into it). I gotta stop buying books that I have to read, because I don't. I can listen during my commute. But read? Just doesn't fit in. But that one, I'll finish.
    This is basically a soundtrack to No Logo. If you care...
    Y'all don't want to hear me, you just want to dance.

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    DavidTODavidTO Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 19,160 Major grins
    edited March 16, 2008
    Buckwheat Soba Noodle Stir Fry
    Nothing really to say about it, beyond yum. Those soba noodles are awesome. Veggies, a little sesame oil and Bragg's. thumb.gif
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    jfriendjfriend Registered Users Posts: 8,097 Major grins
    edited March 16, 2008
    DavidTO wrote:
    John, have you read Harvest For Hope yet? I'm most of the way through it, and so far Goodall has me convinced that our buying power is our best tool for change. That and educating those around us. If you haven't read it, I suggest you do. My only warning is that the list of things that tick you off about food will get much longer and more disturbing.

    It's interesting, I knew so much of this already, somewhere in the back of my brain. But to hear it put together the way it's been in that book just changes it.

    I haven't read it. What is it generally about?

    I probably don't really need more things on my list to be pissed about or worried about. I'd much rather figure out how to cause some change for some of the things already on the list and I'd like to figure out how to effect more change than just my own buying power can do.
    --John
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    DavidTODavidTO Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 19,160 Major grins
    edited March 16, 2008
    jfriend wrote:
    I haven't read it. What is it generally about?


    It's about how incredibly f'd up our food growing and distribution system is, and how it's killing us, our planet and the economic viability of the poor and working class. It offers many practical things that you can do to change the system so that it is sustainable and healthy. The things you listed as problems are really just the tip of the iceberg. While they are all true, I think they're more symptomatic of the root problems.
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    gregneilgregneil Registered Users Posts: 255 Major grins
    edited March 16, 2008
    Looking for a way to get more leafy greens into my diet without having to eat more gigantic salads, I ran across a recipe for a Kale smoothie on the vitamix website. I've modified it a little bit to fit what I had on hand (didn't have grapes...), and I think it's delicious. I put the following in my large vitamix container and go:

    1 banana
    1 pear
    1 orange
    about 1 cup of red grape juice
    stuff to the rim with chopped kale (not sure how much this is... about 3 handfuls worth... I had a large bag in the fridge I'd prepared earlier)
    some ground flaxseed

    After that's all mixed well, I add the ice. For my smoothies I like to mix the soft stuff first then put the ice in. Usually 12 ice cubes or so.

    Anyway, it comes out a nice dark green and puts a shamrock shake to shame. Perfect for St. Patrick's day. This isn't one of those recipes that tries to sneak some greens into a smoothie but hide the taste... the Kale is a big part of the taste - and it's really... I don't know, fresh tasting I guess? Anyway, I think the recipe on the vitamix site only called for 1 cup of kale, but I like it stuffed with the stuff. Give it a try if you want more greens!
    There's a thin line between genius and stupid.
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    Art ScottArt Scott Registered Users Posts: 8,959 Major grins
    edited March 16, 2008
    gregneil wrote:
    Looking for a way to get more leafy greens into my diet without having to eat more gigantic salads, I ran across a recipe for a Kale smoothie on the vitamix website. I've modified it a little bit to fit what I had on hand (didn't have grapes...), and I think it's delicious. I put the following in my large vitamix container and go:

    1 banana
    1 pear
    1 orange
    about 1 cup of red grape juice
    stuff to the rim with chopped kale (not sure how much this is... about 3 handfuls worth... I had a large bag in the fridge I'd prepared earlier)
    some ground flaxseed

    After that's all mixed well, I add the ice. For my smoothies I like to mix the soft stuff first then put the ice in. Usually 12 ice cubes or so.

    Anyway, it comes out a nice dark green and puts a shamrock shake to shame. Perfect for St. Patrick's day. This isn't one of those recipes that tries to sneak some greens into a smoothie but hide the taste... the Kale is a big part of the taste - and it's really... I don't know, fresh tasting I guess? Anyway, I think the recipe on the vitamix site only called for 1 cup of kale, but I like it stuffed with the stuff. Give it a try if you want more greens!

    Here is one of my favorite smoothies: Mostly fruit at least 5 of them

    1/2 Pomegranite (sliced small) including the rind (remember that is where over 90% of all goodies are in most fruits and weggies)
    1/2 large pink grapefruit {quartered} (taste rind if waaaay to bitter then toss rind same with orange)
    1 whole orange {quatered}
    1 cup of a berry mix ( i use frozen no sugar added Fit and Active [ Aldi's Brand] contains red raspberries, blk and blue berries )
    1 cup strawberries (same as berry mix above)
    I apple quartered (includes core peel and seeds)
    2 plums (seed removed)
    1 or 2 nectarines (seed removed)

    This is my standard list of fruits....I get mango and star fruit and other exotics (Rambutan, mangosteen etc etc) to substitute....to this add dried stevia for sweeter (has no calories, is total natural and you could even grow it if you want to as a potted plant....no known harmful side effects....was basnned for many years due to chemical sweetner companies lobbying power with FDA)

    To my smoothies I start with this: 1 large handful of baby spinach, apporox 3 ounces of baby carrots and usually, unless I am out...1 to 3 spears of broccoli...that is whole spears including the unpeeled stem......no matter what fruit I use it goes in according to juicyness with the dryer ones (POMS) on top at times I will add just a touch of water to start the mix off with....when I am done I will have enuff smoothie to put into 2 32 ounce rubbermain containers to carry to work to this I usually add a few more ounces of water and shake vigorously to make it easier to drink them wash the container with cold water and drink that......I get my 5 fruits and at least 3 veggies a day that way.....I also make the Herbed Tomatoe smoothie (soup) off the VitaMix site for more veggies

    HTH
    "Genuine Fractals was, is and will always be the best solution for enlarging digital photos." ....Vincent Versace ... ... COPYRIGHT YOUR WORK ONLINE ... ... My Website

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    AnneMcBeanAnneMcBean Registered Users Posts: 503 Major grins
    edited March 16, 2008
    gregneil wrote:
    Looking for a way to get more leafy greens into my diet without having to eat more gigantic salads, I ran across a recipe for a Kale smoothie on the vitamix website. I've modified it a little bit to fit what I had on hand (didn't have grapes...), and I think it's delicious. I put the following in my large vitamix container and go:

    1 banana
    1 pear
    1 orange
    about 1 cup of red grape juice
    stuff to the rim with chopped kale (not sure how much this is... about 3 handfuls worth... I had a large bag in the fridge I'd prepared earlier)
    some ground flaxseed

    After that's all mixed well, I add the ice. For my smoothies I like to mix the soft stuff first then put the ice in. Usually 12 ice cubes or so.

    Anyway, it comes out a nice dark green and puts a shamrock shake to shame. Perfect for St. Patrick's day. This isn't one of those recipes that tries to sneak some greens into a smoothie but hide the taste... the Kale is a big part of the taste - and it's really... I don't know, fresh tasting I guess? Anyway, I think the recipe on the vitamix site only called for 1 cup of kale, but I like it stuffed with the stuff. Give it a try if you want more greens!

    Yum! Well, sort of yum. I have not embraced kale as a flavor... yet. So far, I've been in the "hide it in stuff" camp. But you've inspired me and I'm going to give it a shot. Fresh tasting. St. Patrick's day. Yeah...I can do it! :D

    -Anne
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    BaldyBaldy Registered Users, Super Moderators Posts: 2,853 moderator
    edited March 16, 2008
    jfriend wrote:
    I know this is a wishful post, full of idealism, and I'm just a peon in the nutrition/food world of government but hey I'm dreaming right now so I might as well dream big...
    Funny, I dream about this every day.

    I dream that the food pyramid could be written by The Center for Disease Control instead of the USDA, which has a big conflict of interest and was caught in a scandal during the last revision.

    I dream that a spokesman like Lance would emerge. Imagine if he used his celebrity power to say in his talks that cancer is fruit and vegetable deficiency disease.

    I dream that someone charismatic like Obama would provide a compelling answer to the question, "Ask what you can do for your country." Change how you eat and we can provide health care for everyone. Do you want to save children with cancer? Unburden our hospitals by eating veggies and holding the Coke, and they'll get better care.

    But mostly I pinch myself that our dreams are starting to come true. By my count, over 200 people I know have transformed themselves as we all see in this thread because of a few great books. And they are telling their friends and family. And Michael Pollen can write a best seller defending real food. And see hundreds turned away at the door for his oversold talk at Stanford.

    We can continue to spread it virally until our charismatic hero emerges and takes it to the next level.

    For every 200 like us, just think of the personal tragedy and heartache that is sidestepped.

    Here's a review I posted at Amazon.
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    DJ-S1DJ-S1 Registered Users Posts: 2,303 Major grins
    edited March 17, 2008
    Baldy wrote:
    ...until our charismatic hero emerges...
    Isn't he bald, at times green, but currently slightly orange-ish? Seriously Baldy, you are responsible for a great deal of change all by yourself. I know you have made me change for the better, and I don't even know you. That takes a charismatic hero in my book.deal.gif
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    BaldyBaldy Registered Users, Super Moderators Posts: 2,853 moderator
    edited March 18, 2008
    DJ-S1 wrote:
    Isn't he bald, at times green, but currently slightly orange-ish? Seriously Baldy, you are responsible for a great deal of change all by yourself. I know you have made me change for the better, and I don't even know you. That takes a charismatic hero in my book.deal.gif
    Hahaha, thank you. It really is amazing if you look at our little group. All of us lost weight and are keeping it off. All of us watched our blood pressure drop, our cholesterol drop, and our taste buds adjust to our new menus. We've seen improvements in health we never expected, like fewer allergies. I'm not aware of any of us in more than 200 people who have said, "this doesn't work and I'm stopping."

    Look at us brush off research that says you can't drop your cholesterol via diet because it's genetic. We respond, "we did."

    I've had people say, "my blood pressure didn't drop below 120 like you said it would." And I confidently replied, "there's something in your diet you think is immaterial but isn't. Let's find it." And when we did, their blood pressure went to 120 or below.

    Isn't it interesting that after all the theories and billions in research, it came down to the simplest answer: eat whole plants.
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    AnneMcBeanAnneMcBean Registered Users Posts: 503 Major grins
    edited March 18, 2008
    DJ-S1 wrote:
    Isn't he bald, at times green, but currently slightly orange-ish?

    rolleyes1.gif
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    BaldyBaldy Registered Users, Super Moderators Posts: 2,853 moderator
    edited March 18, 2008
    AnneMcBean wrote:
    rolleyes1.gif
    A couple of running/training partners I've known for years stopped me last weekend and another on Sunday and said, "You look amazing! Have you been getting sun? I didn't know you could tan like that."

    I responded that I don't tan well and I hadn't been in the sun much. I asked if they thought I looked orange and they said no, they just guessed I'd gone to a tanning company and maybe even gotten a spray-on. Then I showed them the palms of my hands and they said, "Orange. Definitely orange there. Now that we know it's from that weird diet of yours, I can see the orange in your face, but I never would have thought that if you hadn't said. It still makes your skin look great."
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    urbanariesurbanaries Registered Users Posts: 2,690 Major grins
    edited March 18, 2008
    my doc called my levels "fantastic!"
    latest checkup....BP 90/60, cholesterol 100 (total; was 160 about 3 years ago)....still no weight loss, but I have hope for better weather and more activity!
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    BradfordBennBradfordBenn Registered Users Posts: 2,506 Major grins
    edited March 18, 2008
    Question of practicality while traveling?

    I know that this one has been talked about a little bit, but I was traveling for nine daze [sic] and found it tough to eat healthy. I settled for healthier than I used to but not still healthy. So here is my problem and I am looking for suggestions, not complaining...

    The job site I was on was in an unfriendly area, unfortunately lots of the projects I work on are in those types of areas. There were four places to go for food by the job site; Subway, CVS (which had no fruit), Starbucks, and Five Guys Burgers and Fries. Since I was eating with clients the decision came down to 5 Guys or Subway. To say that the choices were underwhelming was putting it nicely.

    So while I did bring along nuts, fruit, and other snacks with me, I was having trouble figuring out what to do for lunch. So what have others found that works well when traveling for work?

    I also saw something I thought I would never see in the restaurant at the hotel, breaded french fries. I ordered the veggie burger and a side salad, it came with fries. I looked at them and thought they looked a little odd. So I asked what they were. I was told that they were breaded fries, yup slices of potato dredged through breadcrumbs and then fried.

    On the plus side, I came back weighing less than I left, clap.gif I think that might have had something to do with the nine flights of stairs between the street level and the work area...
    -=Bradford

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    jfriendjfriend Registered Users Posts: 8,097 Major grins
    edited March 18, 2008
    Question of practicality while traveling?

    I know that this one has been talked about a little bit, but I was traveling for nine daze [sic] and found it tough to eat healthy. I settled for healthier than I used to but not still healthy. So here is my problem and I am looking for suggestions, not complaining...

    The job site I was on was in an unfriendly area, unfortunately lots of the projects I work on are in those types of areas. There were four places to go for food by the job site; Subway, CVS (which had no fruit), Starbucks, and Five Guys Burgers and Fries. Since I was eating with clients the decision came down to 5 Guys or Subway. To say that the choices were underwhelming was putting it nicely.

    So while I did bring along nuts, fruit, and other snacks with me, I was having trouble figuring out what to do for lunch. So what have others found that works well when traveling for work?

    I also saw something I thought I would never see in the restaurant at the hotel, breaded french fries. I ordered the veggie burger and a side salad, it came with fries. I looked at them and thought they looked a little odd. So I asked what they were. I was told that they were breaded fries, yup slices of potato dredged through breadcrumbs and then fried.

    On the plus side, I came back weighing less than I left, clap.gif I think that might have had something to do with the nine flights of stairs between the street level and the work area...

    I've found that it takes a little scouting/planning work when travelling for work, but I've consistently made it work out OK, sometimes not great, but OK. For breakfast, I check ahead to decide whether eating at the hotel will work or whether I need to bring/buy something to have in my room. If the hotel restaurant won't work, then I either plan on bringing fruit or I get something local the night before (usually at a supermarket). I also carry these as emergency food. They're organic (and vegan) Nugo bars. I'd rather eat real food, but these are probably better than eating the wrong kind of real food. Like you, I often bring nuts too. Fortunately, you can almost always buy nuts in the airport and sometimes dried fruit too.

    When I'm travelling, my lunches are usually at the office or in the office cafeteria. If I'm going out, I look for someplace that would have a veggie sandwich (Subway's veggie sandwich works great) or a salad. If, going out with work colleagues, I assert my will with the group to avoid fast food places and try to steer the choice to someplace that has some sort of salad. If it's the kind of area that has ethnic restaurants, I'm amazed how easy it is to find something good to eat at Greek, Indian or Thai restaurants.

    Dinners by myself aren't so hard. I just have to ask someone for some local help, either a secretary/assistant at work or at the hotel. Dinners with colleagues are a bit harder, but as long as it's not a big barbecue place or something like that, I can usually find something to eat. Worst comes to worst, I don't eat a lot at the dinner and grab something afterwards from a local store. Since I allow myself to occasionally eat wild fish, that's sometimes a restaurant option though wild fish is harder and harder to come by.
    --John
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    bethybethy Registered Users Posts: 51 Big grins
    edited March 19, 2008
    Traveling for work is hard. I bring a lot of food with me, and just eat what I can find then supplement with the food I brought. A couple of weeks ago I was in Bethesda MD for a few days and was stuck in a hotel not really near anything. They had a great huge fruit plate on the room service breakfast menu, I was able to get steamed asparagus and spinach, and salad, from the hotel restaurant, and I had brought sprouted grain pita bread and almond butter, apples, nuts and bars, so I was fine. The client I was visiting thought it was amusing that I whipped out my own food at lunch time and just ate the apple from the chicken salad boxed lunch, but were impressed by how healthy I looked since the first time they met me a year ago (they've seen me a ton of times since then, but for some reason it really hit them this last trip). Next time, I think Shmoo and Travis should have me over for dinner, or at least for one of these smoothies you all are always drinking :P
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    schmooschmoo Registered Users Posts: 8,468 Major grins
    edited March 19, 2008
    bethy wrote:
    Traveling for work is hard. I bring a lot of food with me, and just eat what I can find then supplement with the food I brought. A couple of weeks ago I was in Bethesda MD for a few days and was stuck in a hotel not really near anything. They had a great huge fruit plate on the room service breakfast menu, I was able to get steamed asparagus and spinach, and salad, from the hotel restaurant, and I had brought sprouted grain pita bread and almond butter, apples, nuts and bars, so I was fine. The client I was visiting thought it was amusing that I whipped out my own food at lunch time and just ate the apple from the chicken salad boxed lunch, but were impressed by how healthy I looked since the first time they met me a year ago (they've seen me a ton of times since then, but for some reason it really hit them this last trip). Next time, I think Shmoo and Travis should have me over for dinner, or at least for one of these smoothies you all are always drinking :P

    Beth, for shame! I thought you were going to tell us the next time you were coming to Bethesda! umph.gif

    Absolutely, traveling is tough on the stomach. We'll definitely take you out to a "safe" restaurant (or just safer) and even bring you a smoothie if you don't feel like making the trek all the way up to Baltimore for dinner! :D

    We are known for traveling with our, umm, backup blender. We have the VM but since it's so big we kept our old Black & Decker for on the road, visiting parents, etc. Which is really sad, actually, but not completely stupid when you wake up and all that'son the menu are fried eggs and bacon. Most places have 24-hr grocery stores and having a smoothie on the go is worth the trouble of stuffing the blender in the suitcase. :ivar

    Hotel neighbors probably aren't as fond of it, though, especially as I'm an early riser. lol3.gif

    But otherwise when I'm not at home, salads are my friend. Most restaurants, even crappy ones, have side salads and offer oil & vinegar on the side. That tides me over until I can dive for one of the boxes of Larabars I stowe in my bag.
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    DavidTODavidTO Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 19,160 Major grins
    edited March 19, 2008
    Fascinating video showing the consolidation of the organic industry. :cry
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    Ann McRaeAnn McRae Registered Users Posts: 4,584 Major grins
    edited March 19, 2008
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    SloYerRollSloYerRoll Registered Users Posts: 2,788 Major grins
    edited March 19, 2008
    A little bit OT from the orange topic
    Hey Guys,

    I know there are some runners in here's so this is as good a place to ask as any.

    I just started running again after a 10 month hiatus. The only time I'm able to run though it is in the evening and I'm used to running in the morning. As usual, after jogging/running 4 plus miles, I have a voracious appetite. (I'm just starting on getting my times down)

    Any recommendations on websites or resources for late evening eating?

    FYI: (in case it changes your answer)
    Right now, I am working on burning more calories than I intake. After I get back down to my desired weight, I'm going to change my diet to something more suitable for a lifting/running plan to maintain a healthy weight.
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    jfriendjfriend Registered Users Posts: 8,097 Major grins
    edited March 19, 2008
    Cancer's sweet tooth
    A fascinating article about how cancer cells thrive on simple carbohydrates and the way your body processes them.
    --John
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