Tag: food

Is Eating Out Gross?

by jlr5810

Is eating out gross? Maybe, maybe not, but you need to be this skeptical when ordering in a restaurant.

It doesn’t matter which restaurant it is when considering is eating out gross.

It could be a fancy expensive restaurant.

It could be Chipotle. At least those people are making your food right in front of you and you can see whether or not they sneeze on it.

But I’m a little less concerned about hygiene and more concerned about the actual food. Some things to consider when considering is eating out gross?

You have no idea what is really in this food

The menu tells you some things that are on the dish, but what about the things that they don’t tell you?

How many times have you ordered something only to have it come out smothered in marinara sauce, which you hate? Infinity times, if you are me.

The restaurant is legally required to share every single ingredient with you if you ask. I went to Panera Bread years ago and couldn’t decide what to order. The friend I was with requested their ingredient and calorie book, which was readily supplied to us. Needless to say, I walked out of there without ordering anything.

But seriously, they could be putting butter in your food if you are dairy intolerant. There could be high fructose corn syrup in your lemonade. There might be artificial flavor (gasp!) in your dessert.

How do you know exactly what’s in there?

There might be hidden scary things in there like MSG (monosodium glutamate), aspartame, or gluten. You have to ask people. Sorry, you have to ask when thinking is eating out gross.

Is The Food Organic?

Needless to say, if you’re ordering in a restaurant, the food is probably not organic. UNLESS the restaurant is an all-organic one or the menu specifies that the ingredients are organic.

Which means you’re eating pesticides and GMOs. Restaurants are probably hesitant to invest in organic because of the crowd they serve—how many people actually care?

(I do!)

Fortunately, it seems like more people are caring more and restaurants are taking notice.

How Was It Prepared?

YOU might hate Teflon, that devil non-stick bastard, but, the chef probably doesn’t.

In fact, he or she probably loves it as it saves time heating up, makes all the food look perfect because it doesn’t stick, and is easy to clean. They also might be washing their dishes with commercial soap that’s been tested on animals, which means there’s probably still some residue on those dishes that they are cooking your food with.

Are they heating up food items in plastic?

Has the cooking oil reached dangerous temperatures?

And has that KNIFE TOUCHED gluten?!

It’s impossible to know these things.

The truth is, you don’t know and you never will unless you storm into the kitchen. So you may never know the answer to is eating out gross. Preparing food at home is cheaper, safer, and more enjoyable (in my humble opinion).

The Cleanliness

Ok, I lied; I am concerned about the hygienic issue. Because when you’re thinking is eating out gross, you’ve got a lot to think about.

Is the kitchen clean? Is the chef clean? Is my waitress drunk and not washing her hands after using the bathroom, and then sneaking a bite of those potatoes I’m about to eat in the above photo?

I don’t know!

And just how often is everything in the kitchen washed and cleaned with sustainable, non-chemical cleaners and natural disinfectants like vinegar? It’s not, ok! It’s just not.

I humbly apologize to those awesome restaurants out there that source locally, purchase organic, and are mostly vegan and gluten-free. You guys are awesome!

Eating at a restaurant and having a limited diet do not mix. More on this next time.

10 Reasons to Exercise (Or, Why I Got an $80 Ticket for Canoeing)

by jlr5810

Like you needed more reasons to exercise.

But no really, you do. How many of you exercise on the reg? I can’t even raise my hand for that one! Exercise is so important to our health but so few of us do it.

Get your motivation on! Here are ten reasons to exercise.

1. It Makes You Feel Great

Physically, emotionally, spiritually. Go out there and burn off some steam! Long distance running is my passion because I can go as fast or as slow as I like, any time of year, and can meditate or listen to music while I do it. Enjoying some great scenery can be another of the great reasons to exercise.

2. It Makes You Look Great

It tones so many parts of your body, and I love waking up to sore calves from a five-mile run or sore arms from a weight workout. It reminds me that I am alive, healthy, and strong.

3. It Can Boost Reproductive and Sexual Health

Regular exercise can do wonders for your monthly cramps in addition to your libido. Check your diet and vitamin intake to ensure that you are getting all the nutrients that your body needs also. If you need any more reasons for exercising—men, it keeps things exciting down there!

4. It Keeps You Healthy

Regular exercise can add years on to your life, keep your blood pressure normal, your metabolism up, and keep your joints and bones healthy. Also, sweating out those toxins is great for your skin. It keeps your heart strong (because your heart is a muscle, but you smart cookies already knew that).

5. It Helps You De-Stress

No doubt about it—one of the best reasons to exercise can be the ultimate stress reliever. Whatever I’m worried about before the run fades after the first mile and is definitely gone by the fourth. I feel so much better afterward.

6. It Gives You Time to Connect With Yourself

Being in the moment and experiencing your body, the way it moves, the way you breathe, the sensations you feel like the wind on your face or the crispness of the air, all of these things ground you: one of the best reasons to exercise. You’re here. You’re a person. Be here.

7. It Gives You An Opportunity To Connect With Other People

So, if you’d prefer to be a recluse, that’s cool. But I will say, after living in a cabin in the woods for two years, that you need people interaction.

No matter how much you dislike people, being stuck on an island like Cast Away is just not appealing after a certain amount of time. And as we’ve all seen, Wilson will float away.

So get out there and wave to people and say hello. These simple interactions mean a lot. For you and them.

8. It Makes You Want to Eat Better

You go for a run, and then, to Arby’s. Wait, WHAT? No no no no no no NO! I had an ex who did this. He claimed that it didn’t matter what calories you ate, you just needed calories. This is a huge lie!

One of the great reasons for exercising is that it motivates and inspires me to feel even better by eating great food. Quinoa, local eggs, organic blueberries and almonds, organic spinach, these are all great foods for runners.

Pamper your body; it’s doing so much for you!

9. It Helps Relationships

You can get that time to yourself if you need it, or, go with your significant other if you guys need more time together.

It also helps with relationship conflicts. It helps to clear your mind and soul, and when you can clearly see, you can clearly make decisions. Keeps you stress-free and feeling great, so less time and energy for fighting!

10. It Sets Great Future Habits

 Hey, I could very well be dead tomorrow. Which would be fine, but, in the event that I live to be like 80 or something, it’s nice to know and be reassured that I am doing good things for my body now, therefore good things will come later.

Also, my schedule allows time for exercising now. It may not at certain points in the future. It’s good to have the exercising habit already established so that you don’t have to “start” again. You merely have to continue.

Cautions About Exercising

Exercising is not without its risks!

Beware of What’s Going on Around You

It’s fine if you want to listen to music, headbang, daydream, punch the air, or whatever else you want to do while you are exercising, but please be aware of your surroundings.

Don’t let a tree branch take you out during kayaking. Don’t let a creepy perv come up on you in a white van and pick you up while you are running (it HAPPENS, people!). Don’t let some old woman accidentally slip a fart out with her butt in your face during yoga.

Pay attention to what is going on.

Be Safe

This is a big one to incorporate when you’re considering reasons to exercise.

I personally never leave the house unarmed when I go running, no matter what time it is. I always have a knife or a taser on me. (Sometimes I take pepper spray, it depends on how I’m feeling that day. Usually I feel like cutting some bitches.)

But it’s not always about being armed, it’s about paying attention to things and being prepared for the worst.

Adhere to Regulations

Ok, so I know very well that I can swim in four feet of water.

I also know very well that I can stand in four feet of water.

But this did not stop me from getting an $80 ticket from a river cop for canoeing without a life vest in a four-foot section of a river in Pennsylvania (those PA cops, man. They do their job).

Make sure that whatever you’re doing, it’s cool with the local authorities when considering reasons to exercise.

This is me in that same canoe on that same river on a different day hoping I don’t get pulled over again, ha. Does that orange thing count as a life vest?

Minimize Exercising on Busy Roads

This isn’t just a safety thing, it’s a lung health thing too.

Think about it—you’re running or biking, you’re breathing hard, and you’re passing hundreds of vehicles that are pumping out free radicals in your face.

You do not want to be breathing the exhaust of all those cars.

It’s basically chemicals going into your lungs. Diesel exhaust is carcinogenic, people. Don’t demean the good thing you are trying to do for your body with a bad thing like breathing free radicals.

Minimize or eliminate this practice.

Try Not to Go In the Dark

Exercising in the dark is dangerous. There is more of a chance that cars will hit you, deer will hit you (happened to a friend of mine), and huge bugs will fly into your eyes (this happened to me on a run at the end of summer; my eye was jacked up for the next two days).

I’m sure you amazing people already have really healthy exercising habits, right? Not to mention tons of reasons to exercise. Remember not to push yourself too hard. Be gentle with yourself and your body. Know yourself and your limits. But get outside and do something fun (and safe)!