After several discussions regarding the less than healthy menus featured at VIP SuperBowl Parties I thought I would offer a reality check.
In the US, a SuperBowl Party is as likely to feature healthy food as Thanksgiving, Pesach, Christmas, Easter, and Fourth of July Picnics. There are just certain meals where all the righteousness about good diet give way to relaxation, fun and family tradition.
None of these meals have a patch on the diet of the average deployed service member. At least if what is mailed by family and friends is consumed. And frankly all too often it forms a major component of the daily caloric intake.
Admittedly, everyone at home wants to support those of us who are deployed. What better way to express this than sending something? Like cookies, candy, snacks, gum …… It makes you feel like you are supporting your person, giving them a little bit of home. Even the trail-mix and nuts have draw backs in terms of salt load.
The Dietitian here with the research unit joked that the holidays saw 2000-3000/Cal/Soldier/Day extra over normal times. Normal times being weekly rather than daily packages. In spite of that, there are a number of people who have been successful on losing weight by dint of responsible eating and a lot of exercise.
It is difficult enough for me to eat a healthy diet while deployed without putting temptation on the desk. Fancy coffee drink mixes, bubble gum, Twizzlers, just to name a few potential downfalls. Oh, and Sweettarts, can’t forget the Sweettarts. My self-discipline is just not all that high.
It is why I have been reticent to having anyone send me things. Temptation. There is just so much food, drinks, candy and just plain junk floating around it is ridiculous. I did my share consuming the treats for a while, spending several months living on sugar and toothpaste (what? you think I can’t learn from others? One guy here drank Gatorade his last deployment, returned home needing five fillings. Even I can figure that drinking sugar water all the time is stupid).
So here I am, surrounded by sugar heaven and trying to keep my hands on the keyboard rather than feeding my mouth. Thank you all for your help, kindness and restraint.
Seems like I’m not the only one who is disappointed.
http://shelleyzross.wordpress.com/2011/02/07/michelle-obama-the-american-heart-association-is-calling-they-want-to-spank-you-not-thank-you-for-your-superbowl-menu/
Gosh. Super Bowl party menus is a topic I find it difficult to get passionate about. Particularly VIP ones.
I completely see your point about the packages of goodies. It is too bad that military/political leaders have not thought of useful ways for home front people to support deployed troops and their families. In many weird and unhelpful ways, the American public is cut off from the American military, and that is not by choice of the public. So, there’s no home front – just individual families and friends doing their best. That was the way the neocons wanted it, and it appears the same cast of characters is running the show.