environment & eating

astridfeline

So I just got back from visiting my mom. It was just an overnight trip but it was like culture shock. I live in a city in its own little microcosm: no fast food chain restaurants, no chain restaurants at all, no malls. There's a huge natural, healthy food culture here. Although there's a food court on campus and plenty of local restaurants. Plus I live alone so, apart from eating out w/ friends, I only have food around the house that I want to eat.

My mom & I went to Olive Garden for lunch & I did well, I ate the Apricot Chicken for about 450 cals & a breadstick, 140 cals. Then we went to the mall to look at mattresses, we entered through the FOOD COURT entrance, boy oh boy. I wanted to stop and eat at every food shop!! Cinnabons, cookies, pretzels, pizza, icecreams, blended creamy coffee drinks, geez. It was like some switch was turned on. I made it out of there only buying a bag of See's dark chocolate foil eggs (which took me less than 24 hrs to eat!!). Plus my mom always has a little chocolate out for snacking, and got out some cookies after dinner, of course, I sucked some of those down. Today we went out for Mexican food, yummy, I had enchiladas but no rice or beans.

All in all, I have eaten a lot more & worse in times past. This goes to show how strong an influence our environment has over our food choices. How can kids or even adults make proper, healthy food choices when surrounded by so much junk all the time?? No wonder we are getting so fat :frown:

astridfeline

So I just got back from visiting my mom. It was just an overnight trip but it was like culture shock. I live in a city in its own little microcosm: no fast food chain restaurants, no chain restaurants at all, no malls. There's a huge natural, healthy food culture here. Although there's a food court on campus and plenty of local restaurants. Plus I live alone so, apart from eating out w/ friends, I only have food around the house that I want to eat.

My mom & I went to Olive Garden for lunch & I did well, I ate the Apricot Chicken for about 450 cals & a breadstick, 140 cals. Then we went to the mall to look at mattresses, we entered through the FOOD COURT entrance, boy oh boy. I wanted to stop and eat at every food shop!! Cinnabons, cookies, pretzels, pizza, icecreams, blended creamy coffee drinks, geez. It was like some switch was turned on. I made it out of there only buying a bag of See's dark chocolate foil eggs (which took me less than 24 hrs to eat!!). Plus my mom always has a little chocolate out for snacking, and got out some cookies after dinner, of course, I sucked some of those down. Today we went out for Mexican food, yummy, I had enchiladas but no rice or beans.

All in all, I have eaten a lot more & worse in times past. This goes to show how strong an influence our environment has over our food choices. How can kids or even adults make proper, healthy food choices when surrounded by so much junk all the time?? No wonder we are getting so fat :frown:

lotusfromthemud

I moved last year to a big city with tons of healthy food options. I have to go well out of my way just to pass a fast food restaurant.

Everytime I go to visit my family I am SHOCKED at how difficult it is to eat well. The market is so saturated with bad food choices, cheap to buy and easy to access.

elliott062907

When I am away from home I eat 100 time better and healthier. When we go to draggggg race, I eat fruit veggies, lean meats and tons of water. When I am at the beach, seafood every day and salads and more water.