Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Genghis Cohen 04-18-07, 10:08 PM	Playing LG is where I eat the most junk food. Its not easy eating healthy when you have a situation like at ConnCon where they allow drug dealers girlscouts in to push their cookies. They mercilessly got me to buy three boxes of thin mints last month. Anyway, what do you do to avoid the garbage that's so prevalent at the table?
Puggle Halfwine 04-18-07, 10:18 PM	A number of healthy-eating players at our local gaming groups bring their own food to the table, especially precooked microwavable meals in plastic/paper containers. Me, I just eat the junk and exercise it off later.
JamesMaissen 04-18-07, 11:53 PM	Anyway, what do you do to avoid the garbage that's so prevalent at the table? Defnately bring your own food to cons. Hot/Cold bags and hotels with refrigerators/microwaves are the way to go when travelling abroad. Arrive a little early and hit the local supermarket. You'll not only eat better, but you'll save money. -James
Reska 04-18-07, 11:57 PM	For Winter Fa...err..DDXP, I bring cold cuts, bread, oatmeal, and fruit with me (I only drink water now so that's easy enough). The room is usually provided with a fridge (though, this year they tried to charge us for something that was free last year...go go cooler + Ice!), and using the coffee maker to heat up water for oatmeal is a good way too. Course, then I bring a supply of high sodium cup of noodle soups...but that's for late night hot soup needed food.
myshkingfh 04-19-07, 12:21 AM	Baby carrots are a great D&D snack...
_m_ 04-19-07, 12:37 AM	I eat bag upon bag of raw pasta myself.
_metz_ 04-19-07, 03:19 AM	the raw pasta works well. Coffee is essential. it really is.
CrystalBlue 04-19-07, 07:30 AM	Unfortunately, gaming is the only time I ever get to eat out with fast food or junk, so it's my little holiday. :( However, going to other people's houses or if it's on my way, I'll usually try a Subway on the way.
Zanzibax 04-19-07, 09:35 AM	Playing LG is where I eat the most junk food. Its not easy eating healthy when you have a situation like at ConnCon where they allow drug dealers girlscouts in to push their cookies. They mercilessly got me to buy three boxes of thin mints last month. Anyway, what do you do to avoid the garbage that's so prevalent at the table? Leave the wallet at home.
Ralis 04-19-07, 09:35 AM	I"m not the type to to to cons far enough away that require me to get a hotel room. But, there are smarter choices you can make at the fast food places these days (You do really need the triple patty burger, with bacon and six types of cheese? Or with you get by with just the single?) and if you can drink diet soda. (diet dr pepper, and diet coke are drinkable. Diet mountian dew isn't) Also I havn't seen once were people objected to be bringing carrots and celery sticks to the table. so long as you don't munch to loudly.
Mommy was an Orc 04-19-07, 10:10 AM	and if you can drink diet soda. (diet dr pepper, and diet coke are drinkable. Diet mountian dew isn't) Drinking diet soda probably isn't a great idea...aspartame is probably an appetite stimulant: here (http://psychologytoday.com/articles/index.php?term=pto-19981101-000022&page=2) Probably the safest thing to do at a con is to not eat at the table, then make sure to eat an actual meal. That's a lot easier said than done though - I pretty much ended up living at Starbucks at GenCon...
Haro 04-19-07, 10:14 AM	Also I havn't seen once were people objected to be bringing carrots and celery sticks to the table. so long as you don't munch to loudly. If anyone objected to my healthy eating habits, I would have to assess whether I think it is fair to respond by objecting to their rancid, unwashed body odour and ask them if they don't bathe for ethical reasons or whether they were just brought up that way. Loud munching at the table is far, far from the worst social faux pas at the gaming table! ;) Joe
ithardin 04-19-07, 11:17 AM	I will usually go through a box of granola bars at a weekend con as my table-side snack. I do like to have time to have one nice, sit-down and get waited on meal though. Maybe a zip-lock with raisins/peanuts/dried cranberries/etc. might be nice to have as well.
amnuxoll 04-19-07, 11:56 AM	It doesn't hurt to just tell the others at your table about your aversion to junk. If the other folks know you'd like to avoid eating it then they will often: a) admit they want the same thing b) avoid sharing out their junk food snacks This is particular true in home games where most folks in my region know I'm trying to lose weight. They don't always cater to that but they are at least aware of it. Ultimately, though it's up to you. Different folks' bodies can tolerate variable amounts of junk. Dieting is f-ing hard. There's no getting around that. :AMN: (Who lost 90lbs...and gained 35 back.)
AOSOL 04-19-07, 12:51 PM	My zero slot groups meets about half way. Most of them eat sushi while arguing the rules of grapple and over run. I personally try to eat before I go so I have a sound mind and stomach, though Collins, one of the zero slotters always says Boston roll helps with improving with dice rolling Karma. When you actually think about it junk food goes hand in hand with D&D. Whenever I'm caught not being about to eat and I'm DMing, I make it point to eat a Chesse weasel's charactersheet. They're filled with chessy goodness. :P :D
thorinXXX 04-19-07, 02:00 PM	Denying yourself the highway robbery for junk food is denying youself half of the con experience.;) Definitely bring your own. Its not like three days of food and water will add significantly to the weight of the rest of your gaming supplies.
MatteBlack 04-19-07, 02:22 PM	Unless you are playing at home, you are pretty much limited to pre-made ready to eat stuff. Add in limited budgets and you are pretty much left with junk food. The only other fairly viable option is fresh fruits and vegetable but, many gamers chaffe at them. I have noted more juice and water around gaming tables but, the hard core often eschew these in order to increase caffeine intake. Some preparation beforehand and coolers or home gaming sites open up alot more healthy options. One upside is that you may not share your healthy snacks with as many ;).
Rerednaw 04-19-07, 02:38 PM	Playing LG is where I eat the most junk food. Its not easy eating healthy when you have a situation like at ConnCon where they allow drug dealers girlscouts in to push their cookies. They mercilessly got me to buy three boxes of thin mints last month. Anyway, what do you do to avoid the garbage that's so prevalent at the table? Depends. I may pack items like plain sandwiches (no goop), granola bars, apples, bananas, water, and so on. Or leftovers of whatever I had last night. I cook a great deal (and fairly healthy) which helps. I also hit the gym to ensure I do not have the elite gamer pear-shaped body. :D If I feel like it, sure I will throw in some junk food. I make sure that they are desserts though and not the meal. As for the pushers...I've never been harassed by girls wanting to sell me their cookies during a con. And junk (greasy) food DOES help dice rolls...grease certain sides of the die and it's amazing what frequency that natural '20' manifests. :angelhide
Bold 04-19-07, 04:02 PM	box of granola bars [...] Maybe a zip-lock with raisins/peanuts/dried cranberries/etc. might be nice to have as well. That's exactly what I do--I pack a granola bar for each slot, along with a small zip-loc bag of nuts and raisins for the day. But ya' gotta be careful about that zip-loc seal: I once had it open up and spill peanuts and raisins all over inside my gaming bag. I still find the occasional raisin which has managed to avoid detection, and I haven't been able to eliminate the pronounced peanut odor of my dice bag. :)
NeSoDak 04-19-07, 05:03 PM	I find that fruit and vegetables work the best, but stay away from anything sticky. Nothing worse than trying to apologize to your neighbor for attaching their character sheet to your forearm. Bananas, grapes, strawberries, carrots and celery seem to work the best, but dried fruits can also be a great snack. I like a good trail mix. Juice boxes work great if your concerned about your pop intake being overindulged, but don’t forget a flavored milk. I’m slightly partial to strawberry myself. Sandwiches without a lot of goop are good too. A good idea is to lay off the mayo, and other condiments so that you don’t drip anything on the table. You may also consider baked chips. They tend to have less grease and don’t smudge on papers. If I might be so bold :D , I would also recommend walking. If you can find even 5 minutes between mods, get up and walk around the building or something. This tends to do two things. One, it gets the blood flowing through your body, which delivers oxygen to the brain, which helps the thinking processes. Two, it temporarily lifts your metabolism so that you don’t get that :zzz: tired feeling after 10 continuous hours of gaming. (And I'm not talking about the tired as in lack of sleep tired.) I’m going to Weekend in the Shield Lands (or Shield Con, depending on where you look) next week in the Twin Cities and hopefully I will be able to follow my own advice.
Puggle Halfwine 04-19-07, 09:42 PM	If anyone objected to my healthy eating habits, I would have to assess whether I think it is fair to respond by objecting to their rancid, unwashed body odour and ask them if they don't bathe for ethical reasons or whether they were just brought up that way. This is why when people ask what they should pack for a convention I always answer, "Fresh changes of clothes = number of days in the con +1, soap, deoderant". Fortunately the guys (and gals) I attend cons with are very good in that regard.
Nerax 04-19-07, 09:54 PM	at ConnCon where they allow drug dealers girlscouts in to push their cookies. They mercilessly got me to buy three boxes of thin mints last month. I was there and it was a dirty trick! :eek: I am going to have to remember that when my girls get that age.... :schemes:
paigeoliver 04-19-07, 11:33 PM	Please don't bring any sort of wet food to the table, it is potentially messy, it detracts from the game and the smell may really unnerve other players. I have had to walk away from the game before because another player was eating something wet that was activating my gag reflex.
tvknight415 04-20-07, 02:59 PM	I usually try to bring Adkins (or similar) diet bars, venison jerky, and a big bottle for water (with Crystal Light mix). I can't survive on that all day, but it does help get rid of the munchies in between real meals.
Swiftbrook 04-21-07, 07:52 AM	the raw pasta works well. Coffee is essential. it really is. Raw pasta .. Healthy? Starbucks ... Healthy? Before the Table: Plan one of your meals that day at a nice resturant. At the Table: Carrot sticks Cheese sticks Small bags of GORP Bottle of Water -Swiftbrook
Shieldhart91 04-22-07, 02:13 AM	Carrot sticks, I find are a clean, easy, and enjoyable snack. Celery has always been a favorite of mine. I find that during cons, I don't really eat...at all. So it's not so much a problem for me. I usually bring a couple of bottles of water for each day, though I usually end up buying a few more or a bottle of soda or two- curses! I always like to bring something to share, though. Only if I like the people. Sadly, Nuxoll said no to my ice cream offer. And now it sits in my freezer...waiting...and it's probably gone bad. But Andy- the offer's still there! NEOPOLITAN, ANDY!
GreatSiron 04-22-07, 03:32 AM	I just eat whatever's in the con suite, unless there isn't one, then I just pack sandwiches and whatever random junk food I have laying around the house.:P
_metz_ 04-22-07, 04:07 AM	I totally agree on the body odour thing. We essentially banned some players till they took more showers at one point. rice crackers work rather well... The honestly best thing to do with gaming is to have good solid meals. WITHOUT junk, but that hardly ever happens. If its at my house a bowl of cereal works wonders lol At cons its harder, and unless you cart a lot of stuff its bound to be unhealthy. Fortunately I only game once a month at best so its a little holiday lol. I like a few drinks during my games, but not very con appropriate lol, I found a few beers 'stimulates' the roleplaying amongst friends lol. You can always ge that low carb atikins beer lol. (In Australia light beer refers to lower alcoholic content, which is just sacriligous) BEST THING TO GET: Sushi (this is a great one, if you make it yourself its VERY cheap, filling and fantastic for you, one night me and a couple of mates made like a ridicoulous amount of it and spent ages gaming and eating it.)
GenghisBob 04-23-07, 03:14 AM	PBH II or was it DMG II had a heap of ideas on healthy eating from the WOTC dietician. With all the dieties running around you would think it would be easy ;) Seriously though say no to flavour enhancers and chuckle heads. I don’t tolerate either at my tables. GB
Britt 04-23-07, 03:38 AM	The past couple of years, I've gone with: Reduced fat peanut butter, crunchy (low saturated fat, high protein, low carbs) Rice cakes Granola bars Cabot super-duper sharp cheddar, maybe with multigrain crackers Lots of water It's mainly the peanut butter and water, though. The rice cakes and granola bars are good and easy to transport, but I try to keep my carbs down. Granted, they are complex carbs, so not as bad, but I enjoy my jar of peanut butter and a spoon :) I don't tend to like fruits or vegetables much, or I'd eat those (well, and fruit has a lot of fructose, so it would be mostly veggies). Baby carrots aren't bad, and I might start trying to add those to the repertoire. Cheese is one of my guilty pleasures, as it has a lot of sat fat, but at least it tastes really good and doesn't have any carbs :) I sometimes treat myself to some Lindt dark chocolate, but that obviously has a lot of carbs :) Remember that everyone's metabolism is different, so some of these suggestions might not work for you. Personally, my body doesn't get along well with sugars; it's not just a diet thing for me to do low carb. Some people need more carbs, though. If you do go low carb, be sure to eat lots of protein and at least a small amount of unsat fat so you don't go into ketoacidosis.
jstorrie 04-23-07, 04:00 AM	I bring a good sandwich, if I can, to eat between slots or during major pauses. Large amounts of coffee are a necessity and prevent me consuming large amounts of sugary soda instead. Between evening slots or after a gameday, I usually end up getting a nice restaurant meal with some of the other players; aside from that, a bottle or two of water is good and one sweet or bag of chips isn't fatal.
ezreal2001 04-23-07, 09:17 AM	I like to bring fresh fruit, carrot sticks, low fat snaks and bottled water to gaming. Oddly enough, after an mountain biking session the pose usually hoes into the lardy goodness that is baconfest or just pizza and beer. What can I say size 32
Timlagor 04-23-07, 10:53 AM	I'd think Sushi risked considerable oilinesss and smellyness. I think the biggest thing in terms of calorie control is to take lots of water. - Talking a lot (especially when GMing) can really dehydrate you - Water fills the stomach (if only briefly) - Fizzy Drinks are very bad but I often drink Squash/Cordial - Coffee won't help with the hydration and Caffeine can do bad things to you but it's got to be better than fizzy drinks. Mostly the snacks I see at the gaming table are distinctly unhealthy.. do you guys see a lot of healthy snacks or are you usually the odd one out?
Bold 04-23-07, 11:31 AM	- Fizzy Drinks are very bad but I often drink Squash/Cordial - Coffee won't help with the hydration and Caffeine can do bad things to you but it's got to be better than fizzy drinks. This is one of the many myths about hydration. In a study published in the October issue of the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, researchers at the Center for Human Nutrition in Omaha measured how different combinations of water, coffee and caffeinated sodas affected the hydration status of 18 healthy adults who drink caffeinated beverages routinely. "We found no significant differences at all," says nutritionist Ann Grandjean, the study's lead author. "The purpose of the study was to find out if caffeine is dehydrating in healthy people who are drinking normal amounts of it. It is not." The same goes for tea, juice, milk and caffeinated sodas: One glass provides about the same amount of hydrating fluid as a glass of water. The only common drinks that produce a net loss of fluids are those containing alcohol--and usually it takes more than one of those to cause noticeable dehydration, doctors say. http://www.snopes.com/medical/myths/8glasses.asp Of course, there may be other disadvantages to drinking coffee or carbonated beverages (e.g. the calorie content of sugary sodas), but dehydration isn't one of them.
bitznarf 04-23-07, 11:38 AM	"We found no significant differences at all," says nutritionist Ann Grandjean, the study's lead author. "The purpose of the study was to find out if caffeine is dehydrating in healthy people who are drinking normal amounts of it. It is not." Notice the qualifiers there folks. After all what is a 'normal amount' of coffee? I would be you anything that a 'normal amount' is different between me and jstorrie.
_metz_ 04-23-07, 11:42 AM	I'd think Sushi risked considerable oilinesss and smellyness. It isn't oily at all if its made right. - I usually don't use raw materials when eating it elsewhere though (cooked chicken, tuna, beef etc works well.) It smells less than a lot of gamers I know as well, and frankly isn't as distracting as a bag of cookies or packet of chips. The main reason we don't see more healthy food is the time and adequate kitchen facilities required to make it. I would always prefer sushi to pizza - but when you are at a con, and are half asleep, and have no time, you just order the pizza. Also as healthy food due to preparation time, costs more at most events, with the exclusion of maybe subway, which can be quite messy at a table lol. Healthiest thing to do is not snack at all, but people get the munchies whilst gaming, its like a time filler. Any decently made meal - one that involves rice, will always be infinately more good for you than most fast food options. A cheeky stir fry with vegetables on rice works wonders, and provides NO body odour.
Reska 04-23-07, 12:05 PM	"The purpose of the study was to find out if caffeine is dehydrating in healthy people who are drinking normal amounts of it. However, we all know that most gamers...well, aren't exactly "healthy" nor do they drink "normal" amounts. Heck, I know at least one guy who won't go 30 minutes without his 64oz mug filled with coffee. He'll even eat it as a powder, and let his natural digestive juices brew it for him. Not to mention the number of people who bring coolers of sodas, and empty them by the end of the day, just to refill them the next. Caffeine, in moderation, is okay. Caffeine, to the extent that most gamers imbibe, is not. Not for overall health, not for gamer funk, not for bad breath.
jstorrie 04-23-07, 09:04 PM	Notice the qualifiers there folks. After all what is a 'normal amount' of coffee? I would be you anything that a 'normal amount' is different between me and jstorrie. Yeah, of course you'd bet anything. You've seen me plunk down my 'normal amount' at the table before.
bitznarf 04-24-07, 12:17 AM	Yeah, of course you'd bet anything. You've seen me plunk down my 'normal amount' at the table before. Well, that and I can't stand the taste of the stuff, lol.
JohnduBois 04-25-07, 09:37 AM	I found that bringing Lean Cuisine stuff (or other things easily trackable by Weight Watchers) works well. I just bring an insulated lunch-carrying apparatus with an ice pack in it. If I am eating what's available, I try to go for deli-style - Subway or Jimmy John's if I can get it. If not, chicken instead of beef. Sadly, my "healthy eating while gaming" support buddy is moving away. Curse you, Nuxoll!
cheeky_ktty 04-28-07, 03:30 AM	Well, that and I can't stand the taste of the stuff, lol. :blink: You can't stand coffee??!! How do you operate?! The only way I even contemplate moving most mornings is with coffee, -lots of coffee, lots and lots of coffee, -Mmmm :bounce: I believe the two greatest things god created are Coffee and Chocolate,
_metz_ 04-28-07, 04:43 AM	hehehe its funny cos you spend half each home game making coffee, and the other half drinking it lol! How you manage is actually beyond me Kat...
Reska 04-28-07, 08:52 AM	I believe the two greatest things god created are Coffee and Chocolate, ANd yet....they're changing Chocolate.....making it better...no...wait...that's not the right word....I meant worse!
pedr 04-28-07, 12:40 PM	ANd yet....they're changing Chocolate.....making it better...no...wait...that's not the right word....I meant worse!Only for those of you in the US. Of course I can't comment too fiercely: for a while the EU wanted to force us to market our chocolate as 'British Chocolate' or some such thing, it not having as high a proportion of cocoa solids as continental chocolate. I blame the cows, though. It must be something to do with the properties of the milk that makes Hersheys so ... odd. Give me real Cadbury's milk chocolate any day of the week!
Britt 04-28-07, 01:58 PM	What are they doing to chocolate in the US? They better not be screwing with my imported Lindt! Hershey's just sucks. And for those that aren't aware, Cadbury in the US is different from Cadbury overseas; apparently other Cadbury is great, while US Cadbury is horrid.
pedr 04-28-07, 05:04 PM	http://forum.rpg.net/showthread.php?t=322914 (needs a free membership to rpg.net to view). In short, the 'chocolate' industry appears to be petitioning the FDA to allow them to make something they will call 'chocolate' without any cocoa butter. Allegedly, of course. See http://dontmesswithourchocolate.guittard.com/howtohelp.asp to perhaps find out more!
_metz_ 04-28-07, 06:56 PM	The US has always had horrible processed food. Seriously, compare a US pizza to the real thing - lol. For the country with some of the largest food production, supposedly strongest economy, and so many overweight people, when I was there, it was shocking to see what utter rubbish was eaten by so many people. I mean what the hell is a meatloaf? Go get a nice real roast... and don't even get me started on American versions of Italian, French, and Asian cuisines... lol. It really doesn't surprise me that they want to remove chocolate from the chocolate process. Cocoa is more expensive than sugar and flavouring. In all honesty, If I could have lassi, or good iced tea, and some sushi, or even some popia, white spring rolls, or even some decent noodles I would prefer it. unfortunately, in Sydney, whilst there is better food than the US, these things are unavailable at conventions lol - so make do with coffee, soft drink, packets of crisps and the odd pizza/hot chips. MUCH more unhealthy, and less tasty too imho. Lets hold a con at my house in Malaysia....
Reska 04-28-07, 07:21 PM	The US has always had horrible processed food. Seriously, compare a US pizza to the real thing - lol. For the country with some of the largest food production, supposedly strongest economy, and so many overweight people, when I was there, it was shocking to see what utter rubbish was eaten by so many people. I mean what the hell is a meatloaf? Go get a nice real roast... and don't even get me started on American versions of Italian, French, and Asian cuisines... lol. It really doesn't surprise me that they want to remove chocolate from the chocolate process. Cocoa is more expensive than sugar and flavouring. In all honesty, If I could have lassi, or good iced tea, and some sushi, or even some popia, white spring rolls, or even some decent noodles I would prefer it. unfortunately, in Sydney, whilst there is better food than the US, these things are unavailable at conventions lol - so make do with coffee, soft drink, packets of crisps and the odd pizza/hot chips. MUCH more unhealthy, and less tasty too imho. Lets hold a con at my house in Malaysia.... Okay, as an aspiring chef, I have to say...Meatloaf and Roast are two different beasts. A properly made Meatloaf will taste as good (and sometimes better) as a properly made Roast (whether Pot Roast, or London Broil, or Chuck, or Sirloin). Not to mention that a Meatloaf was almost always made with pretty much what ever was ground up and left over. Not everyone can plop down a chunk of change for a roast (or spend the 4-5 hours to properly cook it evenly), whereas a meatloaf can be made on the cheap, with ingredients around the house (bread, eggs, garlic, salt, pepper...done), and cooked in just under an hour. Secondly, don't confuse commercialized food as "American" food. Commercialized is designed for 2 things: Profit and efficiency...in that order. That means cheaper products, cheaper labor, and cutting corners. Real "American" food is the kind you find at a truckstop diner. Or at a fancy restaurant (though they come close to commercialization too). Not McD's, or Wendys, or Burger King... That said, I'll be glad to cook up a plate of Chicken Parmesan or my famous Honey BBQ Baked Ziti for any table I play at (as long as I'm close enough to my house to make it).
LCJJohnson 04-28-07, 11:00 PM	Hey guys, I all for requiring deodorant to stave off BO at cons, and even have no objection to spraying offenders with Febreeze, but there is something I really don't want overlooked that is just as bad: Halitosis (aka Death Breath). Could you kindly add toothbrush, toothpaste, dental floss and mouthwash to that list of essential items? . o O (Hmm, maybe I should add breath freshener spray to my gaming kit.) Beyond that, it doesn't really matter to me what other eat. Hmm, though *how* they eat it is another matter. Unlike bovines, humans are capable of chewing with their mouths closed. And as hard as it is to believe, I'm pretty sure your tablemates aren't dying to see your food as you chew it so can we leave the open-mouthed chewing in the barn where it belongs?
jstorrie 04-29-07, 03:22 PM	Febreze is a bad idea. That stuff reeks as badly as Axe (which I assume LG players are too smart to use.) SHOWERS are what you want. Tea is good for killing death breath, and if you don't like caffeine ginger or mint is great for that.
Reska 04-29-07, 09:59 PM	Febreze is a bad idea. That stuff reeks as badly as Axe (which I assume LG players are too smart to use.) SHOWERS are what you want. Tea is good for killing death breath, and if you don't like caffeine ginger or mint is great for that. Not to mention some people are highly allergic to Febreeze (not me, though I do have some adverse breathing reactions to it) or are allergic to perfumes in general. I understand the need to make people aware that they stink, but try in a more direct manner. Most gamers lack the ability to read subtle clues....and trust me, Febreeze, Soap on the table, being rebuffed by a member of the opposite sex, etc...are all subtle clues. Come out and say it..."Dude, you stink. Go take a shower. And change your clothes!"
cheeky_ktty 04-29-07, 11:30 PM	hehehe its funny cos you spend half each home game making coffee, and the other half drinking it lol! How you manage is actually beyond me Kat... Its quite simple Metz. I make coffee, I drink coffee. Its a simple process but it works :D -Chocolate getting worse? What is the world coming to? BTW I live in Australia, we have nice chocolate here.
copper_wyrmling 04-30-07, 12:39 AM	-Chocolate getting worse? What is the world coming to? BTW I live in Australia, we have nice chocolate here. You do (although Belgian chocolate is better... mmmm....) My family keeps sending me boxes of chocolate from Australia: I think they think I must be suffering from chocolate deprivation while studying in the US. I find Hershey's slightly disturbing - how do they DO that to chocolate? At cons, I find that I tend to just not eat anything. I always bring a water bottle and sometimes an apple or banana on the first day, but a couple of times in the past I've managed to DM three slots running without actually eating or drinking anything (not because I was trying for a record or anything... I just forgot...) I've been pleasantly surprised by the availability of vegetarian food at US cons, though (it may not be great but at least I can eat it): my options in Australia normally involved driving to the nearest restaurant area. (Of course, in Australia I had a driver's licence and a car. Grumbles.)
Samwise 04-30-07, 11:04 AM	Not to mention some people are highly allergic to Febreeze (not me, though I do have some adverse breathing reactions to it) or are allergic to perfumes in general. Allergic to perfumes in general here. Spray me with anything and I will return the "favor." That is not a pleasant thing, as anyone who has been in the area when I sneeze can testify.
LCJJohnson 04-30-07, 01:31 PM	Right. Dead horse thoroughly beaten, BTW. Plan B. Bring a few bars of Ivory, some toothbrushes, and floss. And should anyone be offended, I'll point them here to learn about the evils of subtlely. Re: Chocolate You must understand that in the US, Hersheys is for little kids who don't know any better or for use in s'mores and the like. I'll stick with Dove dark for myself. But if you really want disturbing try Ghiradelli. IMO it tastes more like caramel than chocolate, and not even good caramel at that. Yuck!
Japangirl 04-30-07, 05:11 PM	Chocolate is something I would like to eat good stuff of. Unfortunately, I've only ever lived in the US and Japan, so no great chocolates for me. I didn't even know good chocolate existed until I was 16 :weep:.
Mithreinmaethor 04-30-07, 06:01 PM	Does this mean we should steal away the BK Triads pizza at the next convention, in hopes that they will eat a well rounded meal :)
Arvagor 04-30-07, 06:21 PM	The US has always had horrible processed food.Looking at your location, _metz_, I can only think, "What the hell were you people thinking when you came up with Vegemite?!?!?" :yuck: ;)
Puggle Halfwine 04-30-07, 08:20 PM	Vegemite is awesome. I eat it by the spoonful (much to the abject horror of any non-Australian watching). YUM!
copper_wyrmling 04-30-07, 08:42 PM	Vegemite is awesome. I eat it by the spoonful (much to the abject horror of any non-Australian watching). YUM! Ick. I mean, I'm Australian (well, half-Australian) and still, ick.
_metz_ 04-30-07, 09:37 PM	Vegemite is sooooo Australian guys, think about it: Aussie bloke 1: "Hey we have some weird black crap at the bottom of our beer making vat." Aussie Bloke 2: "Well if it comes from beer must be good, put it in a jar and we'll spread it on toast..." Aussie Bloke 1: "Thats a GREAT idea, hold on I'm getting a beer..." - True Story.
Britt 04-30-07, 11:41 PM	Vegemite...oh...my...god. It's like they somehow took salt, put it in a yeast product, and made it saltier than salt. I don't know how it's metaphysically possible, but they did it. For those in America that want good chocolate, a good proportion of groceries carry Lindt/Lindor, some of the best chocolate in the world. For those in Sydney, go to the Lindt cafe and have a chocolate éclair, one of the best things in the world: http://www.flickr.com/photos/dragonbritt/253059484/
cheeky_ktty 04-30-07, 11:52 PM	Ok, firstly.. OMG, I am deeply sympathising for you right now Japan Girl. I can't even imagine a life with out chocolate. How on earth did you mange the first years of teenage-ness?! *Cheeky Kitty pats Japan Girl on the back* Secondly.. Yay for Vegemite!!! :cheer: .... ....We're happy little vegemites as bright as bright can be, We all enjoy our vegemite for breakfast, lunch, and tea... ...Because we love our vegemite, we all enjoy our vegemite, It puts a rose in every cheek!!
Japangirl 05-01-07, 03:41 AM	Oh I had chocolate, just not the good stuff. Until I got a boyfriend :D (now ex, but oh well).
Britt 05-01-07, 04:32 AM	Sorry to hear that Japangirl, didn't know about that. HEB and Walmart both carry Lindt. I prefer the 70% dark, but if you like sweeter they have a Milk chocolate, or 85% if you like more bitter. I can't stand the 85% unless I'm having hot tea with it or something. I tried some 99% in Sydney, which the ladies assured me was fantastic with coffee, but I don't drink coffee, so it was just like eating bitter chalk to me. They make some flavored ones as well, like toffee crunch, orange, raspberry, and others. I guess I should stop talking about chocolate as this is an eating healthy thread :D
_metz_ 05-01-07, 05:02 AM	lol, poor americans, how can people disagree with me saying food is bad over there when they sully such pure and wonderful things as chocolate. Come visit the rest of the world, and take our recipes back with you!
Timlagor 05-01-07, 09:57 AM	Cote D'Or Praline Intense :)
_metz_ 05-01-07, 10:09 AM	mmm... belgian
Genghis Cohen 05-01-07, 07:12 PM	mmm... belgianYes, Belgian is the best. I'm trying to lose weight and you have to post about Belgian chocolate. Swiss or German chocolate won't weaken my resolve. But Belgian... that's just cruel.
solbergb 05-02-07, 12:06 AM	Mostly I don't eat healthy at the table - my wife has a lot of dietary restrictions and doesn't know what she'll want, so we bring a grocery bag of random stuff which has no poisonous ingredients for her but is tasty for anyone (gluten and corn-free cookies, potato chips, chocolate, etc) plus usually some fruit, various drinkables, and usually fresh string beans. She's got one packet of supermarket sushi in a tiny cooler we keep also. Me - I eat the stuff she doesn't feel like eating, or when traveling alone or GMing, I tend toward Zone diet drinks and candy bars (or similar 30/40/30 shelf-stable diet foods). With my particular metabolism, one of those those kill the hunger for a couple hours, usually long enough to get through the slot. In some conventions when I'm doing 3 rounds and play goes long I've gone whole days eating nothing else, but that isn't something I recommend. It's purely "food as fuel" and I'd prefer eating unhealthy but tasty food if time permits. Food being my only real vice, I hate wasting calories on stuff I don't actually enjoy.
solbergb 05-02-07, 12:11 AM	I think the biggest thing in terms of calorie control is to take lots of water. This is realy true, especially if you are doing either of these things 1. Caffeine in any form. You will go to the bathroom more, and the liquid in the caffenated drink will pour out of you. (it's a net loss, generally) 2. Eating diet foods, especially low carb or 30/40/30 types. The low fat types don't need as much water to metabolize, but the other two expect you to be drinking a lot of water. Failure to hydrate when eating dense, protien rich foods can lead to either headaches or weirdly, hunger. It's different from "I ate nothing but sugar and now I'm hungry for something real hunger, plus having a glucose crash" kind of hunger, but it is "I want more food now" hunger. The snack foods have a real racket, very much like Merchant of Venice. Oily foods, including things like chocolate, make you want something with fizz in it. Sweet fizzy things make you want salty things. Salty things make you want bland, sweet things or wet things. You can pretty much alternate swigs of soda, salty food and chocolate-type snacks all day and still "want" something with your mouth.
Japangirl 05-02-07, 02:39 AM	I still prefer my method of weight control over everyone else's, though it doesn't necessarily involve eating terribly well. Be rail skinny and never have to worry about calories, because you can't gain weight even if you try (and oh have I tried, though I gave up awhile ago). :hides:
Timlagor 05-02-07, 07:35 AM	You're not making any friends you know.
solbergb 05-02-07, 12:13 PM	I still prefer my method of weight control over everyone else's, though it doesn't necessarily involve eating terribly well. Be rail skinny and never have to worry about calories, because you can't gain weight even if you try (and oh have I tried, though I gave up awhile ago). :hides: That may change as you age. You're still pretty young. (who weighed 40-50 pounds less than I do now at her age, with the same height - I was very skinny then and could eat whatever I wanted...then every few years my metabolism changed and I needed to be more active and eat less to break even) Look to your parents and grandparents for an idea of what will happen eventually if you take the path of least resistance like I did :) Some people stay skinny without effort. Others...don't :)
cheeky_ktty 05-02-07, 09:26 PM	Oh I had chocolate, just not the good stuff. Until I got a boyfriend :D (now ex, but oh well). I think not having good chocolate is the same as not having any chocolate, Mmmm chocolate, *Cheeky Kitty pauses to wonder if she can finish her large block of chocolate sitting on her coffee table before leaving for Border Con*
sylvermyst 05-03-07, 12:41 AM	*Cheeky Kitty pauses to wonder if she can finish her large block of chocolate sitting on her coffee table before leaving for Border Con* If you don't, couldn't you just take it with you and finish it there? Best way to eat healthy whilst gaming- don't. Eat something healthy before the game, so you're not tempted to pig out on the snacks when you're there. I also tend to eat some snacks, because otherwise I feel hungry even though I'm not. Not that that made sense.... but hey. :)
_metz_ 05-03-07, 01:03 AM	My problem is if food is healthy, i just eat more of it lol...