Long lasting fruits/veggies for a working m... - Healthy Eating

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Long lasting fruits/veggies for a working man's diet

HmcR
HmcR

Hi,

I'm still new here, my first post actually, and I decided I wanted to help myself get better with regards to health and eating habits.

I work around 10 hours a day and I currently suffer from a lack of motivation and energy whenever I have free time. I always want to lounge about and just escape my thoughts into anything that is not productive, gaming or any form of procrastination.

So I began thinking that a healthy mind would be in a healthy body, so I'd start with that. I used to workout before for around 3 years continuously but have not for the last 5 years. I would like to first start with a healthy diet and some light exercise every now and then before delving into a full on lifestyle.

So, my first question is, since the nearest proper supermarket is a good 30 minutes drive from my place, what fruits and veggies have long fridge lives and are healthy/versatile for direct eating or simple recipes?

Sorry for the long first post and thanks in advance for any answers.

11 Replies
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TheAwfulToad
TheAwfulToad

Is your job very physical? I find that when I'm working outside all day (usually 5+3 hours in 30-degree heat) I need 10 hours sleep (plus a large amount of fat and protein). Your fatigue might be a completely normal reaction to hard work.

You say fruits and veggies: are you vegetarian or vegan? Or are you avoiding meat for some reason? Again, if you have a very physical job this could cause serious issues. Besides, one of the best things about meat is that it freezes with no loss of flavour or texture! I assume you have a freezer, or at least a freezer section in your fridge?

Anyway ... to answer your question: there aren't many choices. Chinese cabbage, pumpkin, celery, onions, garlic. Apples and pears if you keep them cool. I can strongly recommend growing your own for a much wider selection - this is very easy to do in boxes: see

healthunlocked.com/lchf-die...

for some ideas.

deejames
deejames
in reply to TheAwfulToad

I woukd dispute your assertion that a vegetarian diet could cause ' serious issues' for someone with a very physical job. I properly balanced vegetarian diet should provide everything needed. As an example my son and his partner build mountain bike trails for 10 hours a day during summer. They are never unwell and are both vegetarians. A bit depleted on coming home but weekends go camping and canoeing.

Meat protein whilst convenient is not necessary to our diet.

Dee

TheAwfulToad
TheAwfulToad
in reply to deejames

Well, I only said "could" - the OP mentioned fatigue and I was simply suggesting that a vegan diet could well produce that outcome.

I was really referring to a vegan diet specifically, but even with a vegetarian diet it's harder to get adequate (and balanced) protein and fat - you at least have to include plenty of dairy-based foods and eggs, and you have to pay that much more attention to what you're doing. Meat isn't necessary, but some animal-sourced protein and fat is.

I stand by my assertion that it would be very hard indeed, if not outright impossible, to maintain a highly physical job on a vegan diet. The sheer volume of food that you'd have to eat would preclude the possibility. There's a reason ruminants spend their entire lives eating.

Anyway, we're still not sure if the OP actually is vegetarian/vegan or a manual labourer :)

Jerry
JerryAdministrator

Hi HmcR, well done for joining us and introducing yourself, now I'm not surprised you lack motivation after working 10 hours, so don't give yourself a hard time.

I would have thought that you should be able to buy fresh fruit and veg locally without having to drive 30 miles to a large supermarket. Also frozen veg could be a really good addition for you as frozen veg is healthy and You just cook what you want.

So I think you need to look at what you can buy locally that is fresh and suits you and re-evaluate how you shop, instead of thinking that you have to visit a supermarket. I love local fruit and veg shops.

I also agree that a healthy body and a healthy mind is the ultimate goal of most of us and the secret is not to delude ourselves into bad eating and or life style habits...

If you have a good look at the forum you will see various 'Topics' and there's lots of tips on healthy eating, so you're in good company on here.

Jerry 😊

HmcR
HmcR

Thanks for the replies everyone, I just wanted to clarify that my job is not really that physical but it does involve a lot of driving around in 45+ degree Celsius heat and sometimes a little bit of heavy lifting is involved.

Also, I am not vegetarian but I wanted to include fruits and veggies to my diet as they are almost non-existent. My breakfasts are usually wrapped sandwiches of boiled eggs with black pepper or omelettes with hot sauce, basically whatever I can get from a roadside cafeteria whilst heading to work in the morning. Lunches are all either fast food (McDs, Subway, KFC, etc..) and my dinners are very random. I basically am not heading into the kitchen at all as from 6 AM to 7 PM I am outside for work and when I am back the thought of doing something makes me want to faint.

So as you can see my diet basically is a lot of carbs (wraps, sandwich bread, rice) and a lot of protein (eggs, meat, fried liver, chicken, fish occasionally, etc..) so I feel it is not really that balanced. I just wanted to improve my breakfast and dinner with something easy to do at least to avoid having to go for junk foods. Hence, I am looking for something that wouldn't require for me to drive more every day (long lasting) and something easy to eat directly (quick snack) or good for an easy recipe (dinner).

Again thank you for the well thought-out replies and your consideration :)

TheAwfulToad
TheAwfulToad
in reply to HmcR

45 degrees? Are you serious? Where do you work, the Sonoran desert? :)

If that wasn't a typo, it's hardly a surprise you feel tired. Humans don't perform well in extreme heat - I'm frankly surprised you can move at all.

Dunno if it'll help, but Kenyan distance runners apparently have a secret recipe: copious amounts of weak milky tea. Either way, you're going to need a lot of liquid, preferably not plain water. I take milky coffee (I don't much like tea) with me to the farm, and it really seems to help.

Even places like subway and McD have halfway-healthy food. For example you could just skip the bread in subway and eat a pile of salad and meat. A wrap is not the worst meal in the world, and again if it's a fast-food outlet there's usually some sort of salad available. Eggs, fried liver, etc are perfectly OK in the context of your lifestyle. It's good to add a few vegetables whereever possible, but your diet doesn't sound THAT bad.

HmcR
HmcR
in reply to TheAwfulToad

It was not a typo, unfortunately :) I live in the UAE, all gulf countries have feverish summers and warm winters. Today's weather in Ajman, one of the cities in UAE, was 42 degrees celsius, which is kinda nice compared to last week :)

I do drink a lot of Karak tea, which is indian Chai. It is made from tea, condensed milk and a lot of spices but mainly cardamom is the secret ingredient. I do also drink lots of water whenever possible.

Will consider the salad options though, it is tempting to go straight for fries but I will try to consider the healthier alternative. Thanks man

TheAwfulToad
TheAwfulToad
in reply to HmcR

Wow, I can't imagine that. I've passed through the UAE but never exited the airconditioning!

I do know that an active body behaves in such a radically different way at that sort of temperature - for example your muscles have more trouble using fatty acids for fuel - that all the usual bets are off, ie., what's "healthy" in a temperate climate isn't necessarily healthy in yours. The chai sounds a good idea (I like that one myself, although I prefer it with the sweetness dialled down!). It's just my opinion, but apart from salads vs. bread and chips, you're probably doing better than you think.

PS if you don't already, wear a keffiyeh or a hat :)

david1976
david1976

Hello!

Here are some of my fruit and veggie tips:

Apples are hands down are the best for long term. They can be refrigerated, they can be left out. Either way, they pack a ton of vitamins and energy boosters. Every hear of "An apple a day, keeps the Dr away"? well, apples are full of some many good things and will be able to last a long while.

Carrots are just awesome. They can be eaten raw or cooked, last super long in the fridge and are great for long term. They are inexpensive and will not go bad. They are full of vitamins and will help with eye sight. Pair with peanut or almond butter, and you have an amazing treat, snack.

Celery is great too. It holds up well. Plus its satisfying to eat as its crunchy.

Raisins, Dried figs, Dried dates, Dried apricots all are wonderful options too. They don't need to stay cool and can be eaten anywhere.

Nuts like almonds, cashews, peanuts (or any) can be eaten anywhere too for energy and nutrition.

Peanut butter is a great way to get protein and healthy fats. Plus its delicious. Try to use natural peanut butter as it doesn't have added sugar. But all peanut butters are fine too. Natural peanut butter will get soft out of the fridge, where as brands like Skippy, JIF won't and can be eating with apples, carrots, celery etc.

Good luck on your food journey.

HmcR
HmcR
in reply to david1976

Those are some very fine tips indeed. I had considered apples before but got bored of having only one kind of snack. The others, carrots, nuts, dried fruits and peanut butter sound great and could provide a much needed variety to my diet.

Is it true though that nuts could contribute to higher cholesterol or could lead to more weight? I get that everything in moderation would be good for you but I just want to lessen any weight gain possible.

Thank you again on the recommendations, appreciate it :)

david1976
david1976
in reply to HmcR

Nuts are cholesterol free and really low in saturated fats, so they won’t raise cholesterol and may actually lower it with the polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats. Of course they are high in calories and fat, but moderation of course.

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