Health, Fitness and Food Logs
Its often been said that there are “two Jamaica’s” that exist side by side. This is usually a reference to the division between the rich and poor in Jamaica; the haves and the have-nots, uptown and downtown. Being keen observers of the Jamaican condition ThingsJamaicansLove.com has noticed, however, that there’s a further division in Jamaica that relates to lifestyle choices. We’ve observed that certain segments of the country have, in recent times, joined a health and fitness revolution that’s swept the island and has large numbers of persons jogging, spinning, cycling, crossfit-ing and boot-camping for the first time.
This health and fitness phenomenon has also extended to the way those persons eat. Old eating habits have been replaced by a new “eat-clean” mantra where simple carbs and bad fats are ruthlessly eliminated and every detail of what’s eaten is meticulously recorded and analysed. In other segments of Jamaica, however, we’ve noticed that the health and fitness revolution hasn’t quite taken hold yet and old eating habits stubbornly persist. That in mind, TJL decided to take a closer look at this curious “two Jamaica’s/two diets” phenomenon by studying the daily “food logs” of 2 Jamaicans, who we will call Miss A and Mr. B. Miss A is a modern, eat-clean-train-dirty kinda girl while Mr. B is, shall we say, more traditional. We share the results below:
Miss A’s Food Log
Friday, June 20, 2014
6:30am My early-morning 8-mile run was so energizing I needed a hearty meal right after. Breakfast was 1 Cup almond milk mixed with ½ cup of rolled oats and a handful of organically grown berries plus one 8oz glass of water. Yum.
10:30am Mid-morning snack – protein shake made with half cup of strawberries, ripe plantain, cup of kale, one scoop protein powder, flax seed and coconut water all blended together with ice. Tasty!
12:30pm Lunch - Grilled salmon with a side salad and one 8oz glass of water.
3:00pm Afternoon snack - ½ cup of grapes, apples and pineapple with one 8oz glass of water.
5:00pm One 8oz glass of water
6:30pm Dinner - Baked free-range chicken breast with lightly sauteed spinach and one 8oz glass of water. 6-pack abs are built in the kitchen, after all!
8:00pm Evening snack – A handful of organically grown almonds plus one 8oz glass of water
9:30pm Evening treat – A glass of red wine with the girls before heading to bed early. (I have True Form Fitness’ Bootcamp 1st thing in the morning so I cant stay out late. My instructor Jair is such a taskmaster.)
10:00pm One 8oz glass of water.
Mr. B’s Food Log
Friday, June 20, 2014
7:45am Breakfast – Large Stew Chicken from Act II Restaurant with extra gravy and 3 fry dumpling washed down with a Big Jo Orange Juice.
9:48am Bag of tangy/sweet tamarind balls from the lady who walks around with a trolley and sells snacks in my office. Yum.
11:52am Large slice of rich, moist potato pudding kindly offered to me by a co-worker who baked last night. God bless her heart, I was starving!
12:30pm Lunch – Large fry chicken with stew beef gravy, rice and peas, fry plantain, pasta salad and fresh veg from Lorna’s on Mountain View Avenue. Washed it down with one 8oz glass of water. (I’m watching my weight, after all!)
3:17pm Mid-afternoon snack – Feeling peckish so I had a spice bun and cheese from the lady who walks around with a trolley and sells snacks in the office. Hit the spot. Burp.
5:45pm Late afternoon snack - Bag of peanuts from peanut vendor on Trafalgar Road as I drove home. Helped me pass the time while I sat in traffic.
7:30pm Dinner – Leftover stew peas with pigtail, white rice, boiled green banana and yam. (Going drinking with the boys later so haffi “coat the stomach”)
9:30pm – 2:30am Friday evening rum drinking – 8 white rum chased with coconut water. (I chased the rum with coconut water because its good for you – “washes off the heart” and such). Snacked on some saltfish fritters while we drank.
3:00am Late night supper - ¼ pan chicken (leg and thigh) with pepper and ketchup an’ two slice ah hardough bread from Shorty on Red Hills Road.
3:30am Cup of mint tea to settle my stomach. Tummy feeling unsettled for some reason.