My Dietary Habits

The Challenge to Jim’s Team and my Success
Before the trip I had requested certain things to Jim that I liked and didn’t like to eat because eating (or lack of) is my number one issue or a cause for alarm that could keep me for being able to summit Mt Everest. This is the background to it and where we are today.
Background
Normal day to day
I do not eat that much food regularly in my normal day to day life and I would be easily give the title of being a picky eater if though I like food from around the world. I usually have a coke because Asia and S America doesn’t have MD (but thanks to Wally Berg I have my Mt Dew for breakfast here), usually a bowl of rice and vegetables at lunch if in BKK or a salad on the run if traveling and then a meal at night but usually fish, pasta or chicken. Add to this a regularly routine fitness routine and I haven’t changed my weight much in the last 15 years only just where it is on me.
Typical Climbing trip
In a 2-3 week climbing trip I would lose about 4 to 5 kilos (8 to 11 lbs) quite easily. The first week is ok for food. The 2nd week (higher altitude, you begin to lose your appetite) everything starts tasting the same and by the 3rd week (even higher altitude) I just don’t want anything to eat. This has hurt me in some of my climbs but I could usually overcome this because I have learned to compensate to make it to the summits.
Everest trip
If I did this for a 2 month trip there would be no way that I would be physically strong enough to climb Everest. Just remember when we are doing these 6-7-8 hours of walking, we are burning off some 4000 to 6000 calories and this could be even more the higher because your body is working so hard just to breathe because of the lack of oxygen.
So now you are seeing why I was requesting things that I like and back to the story. Remember I am writing this for me to remember all of these detail when I am old and my memory is falling.
Up to date situation
I requested Blueberry frosted Pop tarts ( brand name), Heinz Ketchup, Heinz 57, a lot of black pepper and French’s plain mustard because I want to have something to put on anything ( even if it is just bread) and it taste like something I like so I will eat something. I also requested that we do not have green peppers (high altitude is terrible for indigestion and I take Nexium already for acid reflux), no garlic, and no mushrooms. Well the list keeps growing on the way up the mountain, No ginger spicing, no eggs in anything especially my potato salad, and I requested that Jim base camp manager bring up some Kraft’s Thousand Island dressing for the crackers I saw that Jim had brought. I guess this last request was the final straw as the lady asked Jim” Does this guy eat condiments on paper?” because most of what she is bringing condiments and 4 more boxes of pop tarts because Jim brought the wrong brand. Just heard that her family and friends were getting a laugh about the pop tarts which are real “Breakfast of Champions”
It has now begin to be funny as the cook comes into the tent before every meal to make sure I will eat what he will cook and I think now Jim understands my taste so I think I will have better chance of eating more to keep the weight loss to a minimum. This is just one of those things that have to be worked out with our new travel partnership and I do plan to travel more with Jim in the future. Of course Martin will eat anything so this does not affect him thanks goodness I am the only picky one. I look forward to meeting the camp manager early next week to hear her side of the story.