Living on site at a mine and eating/staying healthy?!

StephCamp728

Hi, I am currently on rotation at a mine - 2 weeks in, 2 weeks out. I'm a typically fairly healthy eater and trying to slim down for various reasons. I exercise (mostly interval/circuit training) regularly when I'm at home but at camp it's very hard to do! I do a lot of walking around the pit and other stuff during the day and workout (cardio only while on site - on site exercise facilities suck) but the food here is cooked horribly and I don't know what to do about it. Even vegetables you can taste the butter they're cooked in. While there is always a salad bar, there aren't many options for meat that aren't deep fried or slathered in butter or oil. What should I do? We can't bring food on site, there's no storage for personal items and they frown upon it anyways unless you have dietary issues.

PeachyPlum

I... You don't have a lot of options. You could add some body weight training to your exercise routine.

For food, you can pretty much eat the salad bar or tell people you have dietary issues and need to bring your own.

jgnatca

Most mine site jobs are pretty physical. All those calories are easily burned up by activity. Are you stuck in the office or driving truck?

You'll have to control your diet by portions. You may be able to plate out your food like this:


Fill up your plate half full of vegetables, and your meat sized to a deck of cards.

StephCamp728

I'm in geology so I do a lot of marking ore and mapping - really just a lot of walking and climbing on rocky slopes. I also don't get to make my own plate of food, the mine kitchen staff prep plates but I guess I could just eat approximately that ratio.

Move4Abs

What do they consider as a "dietary issue"? Is it self declared or do you need a doctors note? I would say that most people have some sort of dietary issue...something that makes them feel blah. Ideas: gluten sensitivity/ certain foods make cramps worse (no one wants to discuss cramps in detail / headaches triggered by salt/ heartburn brought on by fried food/ diarrhea following fatty food.

Most general practitioners won't argue with you if you say such and such makes you ill and "can I have a note?" Its easier to write you a note than run you through a bunch of medical tests, particularly if all you want is a note to avoid the culprit food. If this is a no go, I'd try to stick with the salad bar and add a side of good quality protein powder or a Quest bar. These are my go tos if I'm having a "dietary issue"/digestion problem with meat...ie don't feel like it.