Are You Healthy?

So, I conducted a social experiment. I asked a bunch of people to keep track of what they ate for three days if they thought they ate "healthy" most of the time. Healthy is relative and I did not define what I meant by it. I was clear that these people should not alter what they normally ate and they had to be honest about every single thing they put in their mouth. Some of the people confessed that they wouldn't consider themselves "uber health conscious" but they also didn't, in their opinion, eat a lot of crap. Which is exactly what I was looking for. I wanted an idea of the average American diet through the eyes of people who ate pretty well most of the time. These are the results. Where do you fit in?

Person 1

Day 1
2 Cups coffee with cream and Kahlua
2 bites Honey Baked ham
1 bowl Chicken Chili with a Tablespoon of sour cream
a handful of roasted cashews
1 chocolate truffle
1 slice turkey pot pie. (used refrigerated Pillsbury crust )
1 bite of a cookie
1 ½ cup roasted Brussels Sprouts (grapeseed oil)
45oz water from tap

Day 2
Smoothie (Mixed berries, ½ scoop,Jay Rob whey, Amazing grass Green superfood, Coconut milk.)
Two bites of the kid's scrambled eggs. (no cheese)
About ½ cup mixed nuts throughout the day
3 baby carrots, 1 cup brussels sprouts, 2 sliced green apple
1small wedge of a quesadilla with cheese and black beans
Many bean soup with cabbage and lots more veggies. This time made with leftover ham from Christmas. I don't usually use meat in it.)
1 See's chocolate bar (Christmas is still seeping into my diet. It is unusual to have chocolate and ham and Kahlua. But not this week!)
Approx. 50 oz. water

Day 3
Smoothie (Same as yesterday)
¼ cup of raw almonds, 1 green apple, red pepper slices (Snack throughout the day)
2 slices of pizza from Ceaser's. (I know. Gross.)
Approx. 40 oz. water

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• • Person 2- Okay - Here is my Three-Day Food List. This was a great challenge because it made me very aware of what I was eating and last night when I wanted to have another chocolate - I though of this list and refrained! I think this is pretty healthy but I am not vegan/vegetarian, dairy or gluten-free. I believe in a balanced diet with lots of fruits and veggies and my body needs lots of protein. Also keep in mind that my boss's private chef cooks lunch for us three days a week and is very health-conscious. They fly in fresh greens from California, meat from small organic farms around the country and makes everything from scratch with all fresh and organic ingredients. All of the chef's baking ingredients and spices are also special-ordered. So that makes lunches during the week very healthy and easy!
    
    Tuesday 1/3
    Breakfast: 1 container of Chobani Greek yogurt with a handful of Udi's granola mixed in and a cup of green tea
    
    Snack: Luna Protein Bar
    
    Lunch: Penne pasta with grilled chicken, toasted pine nuts, yellow and orange peppers and pesto and a cup of fresh pineapple and kiwi
    
    Dinner:
    Cup of white bean and ham soup, mixed green salad with shredded carrots and Marzetti's Simply Dressed balsamic vinaigrette with two small slices of asiago cheese baquette dipped in balsamic vinegar and a touch of olive oil
    
    Evening treat: 1 Ghiradelli Dark Chocolate peppermint bark square
    
    64 ounces of water (daily amount)
    
    Wednesday 1/4
    Breakfast: One bowl of Special K Cinnamon Pecan cereal with skim milk and one clementine. Cup of green tea.
    
    Snack: Luna Protein Bar
    
    Lunch: White bean and vegetable cassoulet (green beans, carrots, potatoes, mushrooms, potatoes, etc.) Mixed green salad with sun-dried tomatoes, cucumbers, yellow peppers, shredded cheddar cheese and red wine vinaigrette. Cup of fresh blackberries and strawberries
    
    Dinner: Jungle Curry (homemade green curry that a friend made us for xmas, chicken, red and orange peppers, carrots and broccoli, lite coconut milk and fish sauce) over brown rice.
    
    Evening treat: 2 Ghiradelli dark chocolate peppermint bark squares
    64 ounces of water
    
    Thursday 1/5
    Breakfast: One Chobani greek yogurt with a handful of Udi's granola mixed in.
    granola mixed in. Cup of green tea
    
    Snack: 1/2 cup of red grapes, one Horizon's organic string cheese, 10 Back to Nature whole wheat crackers. Two cups of black coffee.
    
    Lunch: One bowl of Butternut Squash soup, a few bites of roasted chicken thigh (I don't like thighs but ate a few bites to be polite!), roasted carrots. Both the carrots and chicken had a light herb sauce on them, as well. One cup of ruby red grapefruit and dried cherries that were tossed with fresh grapefruit juice.
    
    Snack: Luna Protein Bar
    
    Dinner: Spinach, mushroom and pesto lasagna. Two small slices of roasted garlic baquette with butter.
    
    Evening treat: Cup of chamomile tea and one Ghiradelli dark chocolate and peppermint square
    
    64 ounces of water

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    Person 3 -
    Tuesday
    B: Juice Plus (JP) capsules, 1/2 piece of whole wheat toast with earth balance on it.
    
    L: Huevos Rancheros with tofu not eggs and no sour cream (from freshies)
    Snack: handful of almonds and a half of clementine
    
    D: Shrimp and spinach soup
    
    Wednesday
    B: JP caps, 1/2 a bowl of oatmeal with bananas and blueberries and a slice of WW toast with earth balance
    
    L: refried bean burrito with corn and salsa on a corn tort
    
    D: arugula salad with carrots, celery, apple, onion and walnuts with balsalmic vin.
    
    Thursday:
    B: JP caps, JP shake made with coconut milk and frozen berries/banana (Flax seeds and brewers yeast in it too)
    
    L: White bean and mushroom stew ( mushrooms, carrot, celery, onion and tomatoes)
    
    D: Vegan mac and cheese ("Cheese" is brewers yeast, dijon, miso, and lemon juice, on spinach pasta)
    
    For desert vanilla soy ice cream with nutmeg.
    
    I drink at least 60 oz of water a day and a can of sparkling water sometime in the day.
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    Person 4- What I ate for 3 days:
    
    
    It varies so much! I noticed I ate a little more these three days due to appetite... not so much the past 2-3 days.
    
    Day 1 1-3-2012
    
    • 12+ oz peanut butter/banana smoothie (peanut butter, almond milk, greek yougert)
    • 1 cup of coffee with regular half and half
    
    • 1 bite of stinky cheese dip with 1/2 trisket
    
    • 1/2 veggie/avocado sandwich from Bamboo
    • 1/2 superfood ball from Bamboo
    
    • 2 squares of dark chocolate with almonds and sea salt
    • 1/2 cup of coffee with regular half and half
    
    • Small container of chicken salad with grapes, almonds, red onion
    • 1/2 San Pellegrino mineral water
    • Large bowl of honey nut cheerios with almond milk (Uh! My go-to. Weakness)
    
    
    
    Day 2 1-4-2012
    
    • Med (grande) Carmel Macchiato from Starbucks
    
    • 1/2 roasted turkey/pepper sandwich from Paramount
    • Small amount of hand-cut fries with catsup
    
    • Hand full of Honey Nut Cheerios
    • Full stem of roasted broccoli with olive oil and kosher salt
    • Bowl of chili brought home from Diva (beans, ground elk/bison tomato base)
    
    
    
    Day 3 1-5-2012
    
    • 1/2 breakfast burrito from Azteca (eggs, salsa, beans some potatoes)
    
    • 1/2 of a latte
    
    • 1 1/2 Rum and Coke (Sailor Jerry's)
    • 2 slices of gruyere from Switzerland (yum! un-pasturized! Wehoo!)
    
    • Salad with greens/romaine, avocado, apple, almonds in vinaigrette dressing
    • 1/2 breast Cranberry chicken
    • Roasted broccoli and zucchini in olive oil and kosher salt
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    • Person 5- Tuesday January 3.

    • I am trying to learn how to eat healthy so I will comment on if I think it's healthy:

    • Breakfast - left over breakfast casserole (bread, breakfast sausage, cheese and eggs) with a piece of White toast and no I don't consider this healthy but I did think that the next time I will make it with english muffin, elk breakfast sausage, and less fat cheese and have it with dark Rye toast - I do think that would be healthier.

      • Lunch- Big House Burger; had two sliders without cheese, didn't eat the larger top bun, had it with sauteed onions and mushrooms and she said they sauté them in water and broth not butter so I did ask and instead of fries I had a side salad with a vinaigrette dressing.

      • Dinner I made stew, with all fresh veggies and a roast I had cooked last week and froze but it was cooked in just a can of tomatoes and the crock pot. I didn't use flour to thicken, I ate it over a half a cup of plain Couscous and that was the only carbs in the dish with a side salad with Braggs Vinaigrette dressing.

        • Dessert - I had one piece of miniature chocolate - Mr. Goodbar. Oh and a glass of red wine.

          Day2

          • Breakfast: Kashi Oatmeal

          • Lunch - left over dinner so the same stew with Couscous

          • Dinner - Subway sandwich 6 inch Italian bread turkey with ham, toasted with Mozzarella cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion,spinach, green peppers, olives, and topped with oil and vinegar.

          • I also had blue chips and hummus with my two glasses of red wine and for Dessert two pieces of miniature chocolate; Mr. Goodbar.

            Day3

            • Breakfast: Kashi Oatmeal and coffee with Stevia and Coconut milk.

            • Lunch - 1/2 of a sandwich from Cruiser's. Turkey, cheese on White with lots of veggies.

            • Dinner - I made a ham (I know it's not the greatest of meats but I got it on sale) I made Au Gratin Potatoes by Healthland foods (100% natural) Read these ingredients: Potatoes, Cornstarch, Cheddar Cheese Powder, Salt, Onion Powder, and Annatto Powder! I can read everyone of those!!!!! My family loves them!! For the veggie I made Sauteed Zucchini, Squash, onions and mushrooms in Marcella wine (I read the ingredients on the Marcella wine, not so great.

              For dessert - this is where I got into major trouble. I ate THREE cookies. The ones that the Girl's basket ball team sold - YUMMMY. It's cookie dough that you just pop in the oven - so yummy. The Ingredient list wasn't WAY bad, just a bit bad. But here is the kicker that I am super excited about. I just bought shares of a cow so I am getting WHOLE REAL MILK, YUMMMMYYYY. Very fattening but sooooo goooood for you.

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              Person 6- Day1:

              apple and banana

              carrots

              Amy's organic burrito (beans and vegetable - non dairy)

              Pop chips - 1 serving

              Sweet potato

              green beans

              Morning Star black bean burger (no bun)

              2 Hershey kisses

              Day2:

              banana and apple

              FAGE Greek yogurt (1 cup) and Kashi Go lean crunch (1 cup)

              Green Giant box of vegetables (healthy weight kind)

              Chobani yogurt cup

              Clif Kids Z bar

              2 baked bean taquitos

              spinach salad with italian dressing

              Day3:

              Whole wheat english muffin with peanut butter and banana on top

              apple

              cucumbers (handful)

              Wendy's apple pecan chicken salad (no chicken)

              Larabar

              Tilapia

              Orzo (1 cup)

              spinach salad with italian dressing

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              And, to be fair, this was my food diary for the three days. Keep in mind I was on a sugar detox cleanse (no fruit) but this, for the most part, is an accurate representation of how I eat on a normal basis along with a fruit smoothie in the morning, a piece of fruit for snack, a few bites of dessert one of the nights and probably, 2 glasses of red wine (or a margarita :)

              
              

              Day1-

              
              

              Breakfast: 1 Ezekiel english muffin with 1/2 avocado spread on with garlic and sea salt and 1 cup of black coffee.

              
              

              Lunch: Ezekiel english muffin with tuna salad (parsley, apples, lemon, vegenaise, celery and jalapenos)

              
              

              Snack- A handful of twigs and sticks (made with chia seeds and brown rice)

              
              

              Dinner- a huge serving of cabbage salad with snap peas, radishes, cilantro and sesame seeds with homemade miso dressing and roasted sweet potato wedges.

              
              

              Drinks: 3 tall glasses of water and 1 glass of pellegrino (mineral water) with lemon.

              
              

              Day 2-

              
              

              Breakfast- 1 cup black coffee and 1/4 cup ezekiel cereal with homemade almond milk

              
              

              Lunch: Pea and basil soup (vegan) with 1/2 and ezekiel english muffin with tuna salad (same as above)

              
              

              Snack: 1 large carrot and smoked tomato and basil hummus

              
              

              Dinner: Roasted wild salmon with mustard herb sauce, lemon broccoli, arugula salad with veggies and brown rice

              
              

              Drinks: 4 tall glasses of water and 1 tall glass of pellegrino (mineral water) with lemon.

              
              

              Day 3-

              
              

              Breakfast: Hot water with lemon and 1 cup coffee with 1 tablespoon coconut milk (no real breakfast-oops! Bad, Krysta, bad!)

              
              

              Lunch: 2 Ezekiel tortilla tostadas with vegetarian refried beans, green salsa, red onion, baby greens and cholula.

              
              

              Snack: 2 cups herbal hot tea and a small bowl of vegetarian lentil chili

              
              

              Dinner: Carrot and miso soup with a large serving of collard greens on the side

              
              

              Drinks: 4 tall glasses of water and 1 glass of Pellegrino with lemon.

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              What do you think? Interesting? Or just what you would expect? About half of the people I asked didn't actually turn their lists in to me. Some confessed they were too embarrassed of what they ate and others either forgot or didn't complete the three days and get it to me.