Need some advice on dried foods

[Kishi]

Well, the story is this: I work door-to-door as a salesman. And I'm working on putting together a good diet so that I can hit the ground running on the Stronglifts 5x5 program.

The problem I've been running into is that a lot of the foods recommended in that program need to stay cool (I think). You know, the stuff like salads and cottage cheese and cooked meats and stuff like that. And in my car, it's pretty average for the temperature to hit 95-100 degrees Fahrenheit. And since I'm out in this for about eight-nine hours a day on average, I don't think a cooler would cut it.

Now, maybe I'm just wrong about whether the foods in question would stand up to the heat or not. And if so, then I'll be very, very quiet after it's pointed out. It seems to me, however, that the best thing in this case would be to look to dried foods for the diet.

So, the question: what dried foods would you recommend for a strength training program?

[TheRuss]

The problem I've been running into is that a lot of the foods recommended in that program need to stay cool (I think).

As far as I've seen, Stronglifts 5x5 is an exercise program. If it provides a nutritional plan as well, I'm obviously not acquainted with it. Either way, if you wouldn't mind giving us a bit more information about exactly what your nutritional plans are?

As far as foods that don't spoil, I suppose a rule of thumb would be to avoid stuff that needs to be refrigerated. Dried, canned, otherwise sealed or preserved...

[Kishi]

As far as I've seen, Stronglifts 5x5 is an exercise program. If it provides a nutritional plan as well, I'm obviously not acquainted with it. Either way, if you wouldn't mind giving us a bit more information about exactly what your nutritional plans are?

It is. However, there is a section of the e-book dealing specifically with what kind of foods you should be eating whilst training for the sake of optimal results. (Page 49). The paradigm he presents in the book is as follows, quoted directly:

• Eat Breakfast. Get food from the 1s hour. Read how to build the habit of eating breakfast and try one of these breakfast recipes.
• Eat Every 3 Hours. Speeds up metabolism & prevents relying on junk food because you ended up hungry. Spend 45mins in the morning or evening cooking your food for the day.
• Eat Protein with Each Meal. Protein has the highest thermic effect and helps building & maintaining muscle. Eat meat, poultry, fish, eggs, cottage cheese, whey,... with each meal.
• Eat Fruits & Veggies with Each Meal. Apples, berries, carrots, oranges, bananas, spinach, broccoli, tomatoes, pumpkin, beans, …
• Eat Carbs Post Workout Only. Most people don’t do well on carbs. Eat quinoa, rice, pasta, oats, breads, … post workout only.
• Eat Healthy Fats. Helps fat loss and prevents heart diseases & cancers. Eat olive oil, ground flax seeds, fish oil, real butter, etc
• Drink Water. 2 cups with each meal. Aim for 1 US gallon water/day. Sip water during your workout. Try green tea & squeezed lemon in water.
• Eat Whole Foods 90% of The Time. Supplements make your life easier, but whole food is better. You can eat 4 junk meals/week if you eat 6x/day. Rest of the time: whole foods.

Though I hate to admit it, I don't really have a plan, because the example diets he shows in the program involve cooked food and vegetables. Good stuff, but stuff that doesn't exactly hold up well in the heat. I believe that whatever plan of action I ultimately make should fall within these rules, with the addition that it resists heat and follows the guidelines you specified.

[TheRuss]

Thanks for the details. I've been referring to the website rather than the ebook.

I guess I might as well add powders (protein, mostly) and oils to the list. Are you sure the cooler won't work? Toss in a bunch of reusable ice packs, maybe?

[Kishi]

I'm not a hundred percent positive that a cooler wouldn't work. However, when I did experiment with a cooler, I found it didn't do the best job keeping the food chilled on out.

But you could be right. Maybe it just needs more ice packs...

[muddy]

you might try something like this: Its a soft sided cooler the plugs into a cigarette lighter :http://www.walgreens.com/store/produ...=18-33894560-2

I dont have any experience with it but it looks like a good idea.

[Kishi]

Now that is one sexy machine. Thanks for pointing it out!

[Yoj]

Ice in a cooler box will work a lot better than one of those peltier effect coolers, just use the reusable freezer block things, and leave a fridge thermometer in it.

[TheRuss]

Note that if your cooler gives out part of the way through the day, you can always eat "real food" for that portion of the day, then switch to stable food products after that point. Better some than none.

[Kishi]

That's true. So, why would a conventional cooler work better than something that has constant refrigeration?

I genuinely want to know because I have a styrofoam cooler box that may suffice, and if I don't need to spend an extra seventy bucks, then...