Slush

This morning I opened my curtains to find a full on blizzard happening outside. It looked like it was 5 o'clock in the afternoon already and I had to check that it was actually 8am and I hadn't slept through the whole day! Not the type of weather you want when you desperately need eggs.
I might need to explain that comment! I am on a low carb, high protein, high fat diet (lost 14lbs already and I love it!) and I don't own a car here. I'm following a book called "Neris and India's Idiot proof diet" and wow it works! I wouldn't say I was ever fat, but quite often on the chubby side and definitely a yo-yo dieter.

This book spoke to me, and I hope that this one will stick as I am already over the moon with the results. I love meat so that is no problem for me and I have recently managed to get a copy of my mum's broccoli casserole recipe which is one of my favourite dishes so I have been dying to get it right, hence my need for eggs...

In a "break" in the blizzard I decided I would nip to the shop. It's about 15-20 minutes walk and the snow storm looked like it was letting up. TWO HOURS later and I am still trudging back through 10cm of dirty, slippery, frustrating slush. All I can think as the rain and snow pelt me from above and the slush seeps into my shoes and up my trousers is "this better be burning me some calories!!" All I want in weather like this is comfort food, hot, fatty, very bad for you comfort food. Here lies another problem with being a pilot, if you don't eat healthily at home, you will never fight the bulge.

It is one of the only subjects that "non-aviation" friends actually agree with me on and doesn't take much explaining. The common misconceptions of being a pilot; you get paid loads (90% of the time, utter rubbish), it's glamourous (don't get me started..), you go to fabulous destinations all the time (do I need to comment on that one?!) and all cabin crew want to marry pilots (sigh). The only thing we do agree on is that airplane food is disgusting!
At my previous airline, lunch consisted of a sandwich, packet of crisps and a chocolate bar. The sandwich contained about half of your daily fat intake and so by adding the crisps and chocolate on top you to are probably eating about two days worth. On average you are supposed to consume 15g fat per meal. The evening "hot meals" they serve on board contain over 24g. So here is one more thing they don't warn you about when you become a pilot, you will gain weight! Every pilot I know has put on weight since starting the job, usually the first 2 years are the worst as you are excited about your job and its all so new and interesting that you neglect to think about what you are shovelling into your mouth each day. Some people gain control over it faster than others but for the unlucky few, they never get their eating habits sorted. It is not just eating though, the cabin crew are usually nice enough to bring you in a few cups of tea throughout the day. S used to have 2 sugars in his. So on an average flight, he was drinking 14 cups of tea.. each with two sugars in.. you do the math! He is now a sugar free tea drinker and feels much better for it!

Pilots are supposed to keep fit and healthy and be able to pass a yearly medical, not only for our flying abilities but also incase that fateful day comes where we have to escape using a flight deck window. Believe me, they are not big! Since discrimination cases started being thrown at companies it has become harder and harder to tell someone they need to shape up. (Apart from Richard Branson who gave all his cabin crew gym memberships!!) I know a captain who would be the perfect piece of equipment should you need to plug a hole in the aircraft and I can't help but worry for his safety. It makes this LCHP diet worth sticking to.

So although I would dearly like to cosy up with some comfort food and dry out, I will take my soaking wet jeans to the dryer and make myself a salad. I might consider getting in the dryer myself to thaw out too, is it time to move to warmer climates yet?!