PT and Monster Energy

[dashgamer]

Hi, there. I just got out of the Marine Corps, and for the past four years, my diet has looked something like this: in garrison, chicken nuggets from the chow hall and a Monster a day during the weekdays, Dominos pizza with both Monster and soda on the weekends, in country, a Rip It a day, which is a knock off energy drink that comes in tiny cans, cookies stolen from the chow hall, and whatever candy I could grab from care packages. I have not actually taken the time to buy food and consider what I am eating once in my life: before the Corps I ate whatever my parents bought, and in the Corps I ate what the chow hall provided and the snacks that were made accessible by the PX (and other than snacks and Ramen, there wasn't much to choose from).

Despite ingesting pounds of grease and imbibing corrosive, nasty liquids (and, on my last deployment, smoking), I stayed in shape because we went on PT (physical training) runs almost every day. I really hated Mondays, because I would wake up at 5 am with a belly full of pizza and run three or four miles up in the rocky hills that were behind our barracks. Now that I've EASed, though, I have neither those hills nor the NCOs to push me forward through the gut-wrenching pain that would happen if I ran long distances both in my current neglected state of fitness and after eating terribly, so my physical exercise is minimal compared to what it used to be.

So I'm trying to get out of the habit of eating poorly, but one of the things that works against me is that I can't find any variety in my food: I eat quesadillas (slabs of cheese microwaved on a tortilla in the most half-assed manner), rice and spaghetti, and usually when I go out to get a pizza or a bunch of Monster it is because I want something different, and that's what I'm used to. I can't stand vegetables, and the last time I ate lettuce I threw up, so I'm wondering: what sort of foods could I make that emulate the exotic tastes of the junk food I love, but are not detrimental to my health?

[DarthAvarous]

I have two recommendations that immediately come to mind. The first is, if you haven't already, at least switch to the 0 Calorie Monster energy varieties. I like the green tea version. Second, here is a recipe for a pizza crust that is healthier in every way possible. I was shocked at how amazing it was. That page also has lots of other lighter recipes.

www.sandyskitchenadventures.com/2011/01/cauliflower-pizza-crust-2.html

I too do not like vegetables, but eating them supports my health so I do it. You don't have to alter everything at once. Do it in steps if it makes things easier.

[inkwell]

Remember that you don't have to eat vegetables raw. You can use them in your heated food and they will become great! There is this thing called nutritional yeast which supposedly tastes like cheese yet doesn't contain any fat (I haven't had it myself so not sure), maybe you could use that to emulate the cheese flavour on some junk foods?

[skwiziks]

My roommate eats vegetables by cooking them in the same pan he cooks meat with. The little bit of animal fat adds a decent amount of flavor.

[DarthAvarous]

Nov 5, 2012 14:05:58 GMT -5 skwiziks said:

My roommate eats vegetables by cooking them in the same pan he cooks meat with. The little bit of animal fat adds a decent amount of flavor.

Great idea. I like to render the fat out of pancetta, then sauté brusselsprouts in it.

[appledashfan185]

I also suggest not to buy that stuff at all? This stuff isn't good for you at all. And your body doesn't need that liquid.

[DarthAvarous]

Nov 6, 2012 21:04:12 GMT -5 appledashfan185 said:

I also suggest not to buy that stuff at all? This stuff isn't good for you at all. And your body doesn't need that liquid.

That would be the best advice. Save money on drinks, use for ponies!

[duhflutterguy]

Energy drinks like Monster are not good for you what so ever, they don't benefit your body so why drink it? If you need the "energy" it proclaims to give then just eat a banana it does the same thing. Simply replace the drink with water as well, I've been drinking only water for 4 years now and my body feels great.

[Kirby Krackle]

I honestly believe that the 'benefits of energy drinks' are all psychological things evoked by marketing. You will run faster, slim down and feel better without driningk all those short chain carbs.
Change is hard and honestly pizza is about as good for you as chugging cement, large amounts of white bread, fatty cheese, processed sugary tomato sauce and low quality meat spun from the bone, add to that the energy drink and your really putting your body in a bad place. Maybe cheese on toast made with whole grain bread as a stepping stone replacement until your over your 'za fix?
Water with fruit or diet soda as a replacement for your energy drink?

Are you in america? Try Wholefoods for the same food you know but cooked in healthier ways with ingredients that wont destroy your colon.

[appledashfan185]

It's all a bull crap scam. I drank those and I got no energy all I got was gaining weight and nothing else.

[DarthAvarous]

I never got much energy from energy drinks either.

[appledashfan185]

I hate those five hour engery shots. Those are even worse for you. Those will kill you if you drink tons of those.

[skai]

Nov 5, 2012 9:58:11 GMT -5 DarthAvarous said:

I have two recommendations that immediately come to mind. The first is, if you haven't already, at least switch to the 0 Calorie Monster energy varieties. I like the green tea version. Second, here is a recipe for a pizza crust that is healthier in every way possible. I was shocked at how amazing it was. That page also has lots of other lighter recipes.

www.sandyskitchenadventures.com/2011/01/cauliflower-pizza-crust-2.html

I too do not like vegetables, but eating them supports my health so I do it. You don't have to alter everything at once. Do it in steps if it makes things easier.

Things that are usually 0 calorie are actually far worse than the originals due to the chemicals put in to make it "0 calories". I wouldn't recommend them, but then again regular energy drinks aren't that great for you.

To dash, I would highly suggest Subway as a start. I have been eating Subway as an easy alternative to making some food because it's actually healthy if you choose to eat healthy. Always eat whole wheat or 9-grain honey oat bread there, and get whole meat meats, like their oven-roasted chicken. From there get vegetables that you think would go well with the meat, and whatever sauce you think would blend it all together (spicy brown mustard is good).

Get no chips and no drink so you save money, and ask for a cup to get water.

Now there's no real other way to start drinking water and only water than to force yourself to drink it. The best I can do is give you some personal experience.

Before I started working out in early July, I drank 2-3 sodas a day on average. Sometimes even 4. And that's daily. Nothing could really break my habit, and well, once I started my fitness, I just became lazy shopping-wise and didn't buy any soda. Just drank water, and kept with it. I did indulge by giving myself a soda once a week, but after a while I just stopped with that.

To this day I haven't drunk a single soda in over 3 weeks, whereas my habit not even half a year ago was 2-4 sodas daily. It just takes a solid mind-set. Don't listen to your body, and do what's right for your body! That's about all I can say.

[DarthAvarous]

Nov 10, 2012 4:09:59 GMT -5 skai said:

Things that are usually 0 calorie are actually far worse than the originals due to the chemicals put in to make it "0 calories". I wouldn't recommend them, but then again regular energy drinks aren't that great for you.

That can sometimes be the case. Generally all they do is replace sucrose/HFCS with a non-nutritive sweetener though. No chemicals.

Best bet is to drink water.

[skai]

Nov 10, 2012 22:40:22 GMT -5 DarthAvarous said:

Best bet is to drink water.

This. If it was possible for a soda addict like me to give up soda for fitness, then it's doable for anyone. I literally could not stop myself from drinking 3-4 sodas, both regular and diet/"zero" ones, back in the unhealthy days.

Switching to water not only saved me a lot of money, but also helped a lot with my fitness.