Day 3: 9th April

Wow I’ve had the first experience of eating out under the Livewell EatEngland regime, frightened to see the results! and apologies I had 2 bottles of sparkling water, everyone else was drinking wine as it was my twin sister & my birthday celebration!

Well very happy and a little smug: less than 5kgs of carbon, just. Less than 2000 calories and 2000mg sodium even if I allow for significant underestimates of the meal out.

Livewell is really making me think, as is recording everything, no sneaky treats and really thinking about the ethics of everything. I really thought I wasn’t eating that much before but today I’d have eaten double the food out and had a lump of cheese for supper. So hopefully I will finally learn, if I had done so it have made my impacts well above 8kgs CO2e and my calories above 3000.

The other good thing is we’re not wasting much, if anything other than trimmings, but that’s what we try to do in any case, but must still keep an eye on this.

www.the-chequers-ettington.co.uk well recommended, pub grub plus, and great serving staff: £25/head, including drinks, 2 courses, coffees & service: well worth it. Only minor downside was green beans in mixed vegetables, maybe air freighted? Otherwise all their fish  and meat looked on eco side, well done guys. My 9 year old nephew Charlie is really turning into a foodie, it’s great to see kids enjoying their food.

Morning (0.395carbon, 501cals, 41sodium, 1.2f&V)–the 0.2 being in the muesli

1. 220ml fresh OJ (0.2carbon, 104cals, sodium)
2. 75g Kate's muesli (347cals based on Jordan’s) (0.075 carbon assumed)
3. 100ml semi skimmed milk (50cals, 41mg sodium) (carbon 0.12)
   
   Lunch @ Chequers (3.841carbon, 987cals, 1575sodium, 2.8f&V)
   
4. Tomato Baked Sardines – circa 75g fish, 75g tomato sauce (0.15+0.375carbon, 279cals, 621mgsodium)
5. Served on circa 50g, fried rosemary bread(0.1carbon, 165cals, 305sodium)(nut proxy garlic bread)
6. Roast Pork Loin: circa 150g(1.5carbon, 211cals, 75mgsodium)
7. Served on wholegrain mustard mash – circa 100g(est 0.1carbon, 113cals, 329sodium)
8. With Buttered cabbage & red wine jus – circa 50 of each (est0.05+0.05carbon, 21+36cals, 138+200mg sodium)
9. Mixed veg: circa 100g – carrot, green beans (?), cabbage(est0.1carbon, 64cals, 45sodium)
   
10. 2 double espresso coffees, very good by pub standards (8cals & 0.56kgs Carbon)
11. 1 handmade chocolate truffle – wow(0.056carbon, 90cals, sodium)(carbon=0.33of Cadbury Dairy Milk)
12. 2 bottles sparkling water(0.8carbon, cals, sodium)
13. Bottle of tap water (nil)
    
    Salad supper – ate the remaining third (0.71carbon, 131cals, 22 sodium, 2.6f&V)
14. 190g UK cherry tomatoes
15. 177g organic red pepper
16. 30g chives
17. 71g organic celery
18. 60g coriander
19. 1g dried Cool Chilli Co Habanera dried - must use less for Kate next time
20. Juice of a lemon
21. 31g local OSR oil
    Ate third of total weight = 620g, Carbon 2.12, Cals 393, Sodium 65mg 
22. Loads of tap water (nil)

The targets:

• Calories 2300 - actual 1619
• Carbon 5kgs - actual 4.946kgs
• Salt 6g (2.4g sodium) - actual sodium 1638mg
• Meat 54g - actual 150g (weekly cumulative 150g)
• Fruit and veg portions 5-8 - actual circa 6.6
• Fish 2 portion per week - actual 1+half oily fish (weekly cumulative 1 + half oily)
• Cheese and butter below 50g - actual must include circa 50g hard fat in meal out (weekly cumulative 50g)

Notes: to carry forward-

1. Going to have to add black pepper & sea salt at end of week? 
2. Need a weekly allowance for 1 pack mints.
3. Assuming potatoes aren’t in the WWF Livewell Fruit & Veg portions, must check, must also check on eggs limit if relevant.
4. The carbon footprint data I’m using often includes preparation and wastage allowances, this I don’t believe was included in the WWF Livewell numbers?
5. http://www.foodmanufacture.co.uk/Business-News/Cadbury-furthers-carbon-footprint-debate 49g bar Cadbury Dairy Milk has 169g C02e – need to add this to the database, and decide if it’s better than the ludicrously high DEFRA numbers.
6. Likely to exceed the egg quota, not sure it's an issue if my calories and carbon are OK?

Day 4: April 10th

Lazy Sunday, what a fantastic day, great weather, good company and a good book!

Simple food day after yesterday, with some great tastes, a few minor dilemmas, including controlling the munchies and 4 double espressos – need to make it with less coffee beans, that’s over 1kg of carbon (CO2e): but for the first day didn’t feel as though I’d under-eaten.

Are tomatoes from Israel acceptable if I’m trying to avoid airfreight and take the ethics high road? - must think that just 2 of them and 1 sweet red pepper added another 0.71kgs of carbon, even more if airfreighted. Still overall a good target day: just over 4kgs carbon, less than 2000 calories and low o salt – plus over 12 portions of fruit and vegetables – 14 if I include potatoes.  

Too many oranges in the fridge, so juicing a little and baked Kate two whole orange & almond cakes to take to work, non for me.......

Wholemeal bread in the machine, no more bought stuff – disappointed Waitrose organic wholemeal flour is sourced from “various countries”

 Morning (1.971carbon, 485cals, 125sodium, 3.25F&V)

1. 220ml fresh OJ (0.2carbon, 104cals, sodium)
2. 2 rounds toast (circa120g Vogals from freezer) (0.12carbon , 172cals, 28mg sodium)
3. Large eggs poached: organic (0.2carbon, 72 Cals, 97 Sodium)
4. 90g tomato, (0.21carbon, 15cals, Sodium) –Israel???
5. 90g organic Worcestershire mushrooms (0.09carbon, 29cals)
6. Griddle in 3ml oilseed rape OSR oil (carbon 0.006, cals 27)
   
7. 2 Moka espressos: 18g of coffee beans (0.56 carbon, 8cals)
   
8. 2 Beechwood Deli espressos (0.56 carbon, 8cals)
9. 2 bite size shortbread biscuits (0.025 carbon, 50cals)
   
   Lunch (0.737carbon, 531cals, 380sodium, 5.375F&V)
10. Roasted & caramelised vegetables (uncooked weights)
11. 10ml oilseed rape (OSR) oil (carbon 0.037, cals 90) – from Simon Mead’s farm just around the corner
12. 100g red onion: UK (0.059carbon, 38cals, sodium)
13. 100g carrot: organic UK (0.035carbon, 41cals, 60mg sodium)
14. 100g potato: M. Peer W Sussex (0.02carbon, 70cals, 10mg sodium)
15. 40g celery: organic (est 0.02carbon, 3cals, 80mg sodium)
16. 50g sweet red peppers: Ramiro Spain (0.294carbon, 16cals, sodium)
17. 100g butternut squash: organic Argentina (0.222carbon, 37cals, 60mg sodium)
    
18. Loads of Tring’s best tap water
19. 50g fruit & nuts, organic (0.05carbon, 236cals, 170mg sodium) Supper (1.454 carbon, 759cals, 703sodium, 4.125f&V)
20. 300ml homemade roasted vegetable soup: 7 veg + homemade chicken stock (est 0.6carbon, 300 calories, 200mg sodium- based on vegetable ingredients & other data sources) (assume 2 portions vegetables) 
21. 50g of 2*Great Taste Cheese Awards Cheese – they would tell us what, but it’s great (0.5 carbon, 202cals, 100mg sodium)
22. 4(50g) Bath Olivers (0.125carbon, 200cals)
23. 90g tomato, (0.21carbon, 15cals, Sodium) –Israel???
    
24. 80g Stewed Rhubarb from the garden (0.01 carbon, 17cals, sodium)
25. 10g fair trade demerara sugar (0.0087 carbon, 40cals, sodium) 
26. 1g salt (0.0001carbon, 0cals, 1000mg 388mg sodium) 
27. Loads of tap water (nil)

The targets:

• Calories 2300 - actual 1775
• Carbon 5kgs - actual 4.162kgs
• Salt 6g (2.4g sodium) - actual sodium 1208mg
• Meat 54g - actual guess 10g equivalent in soup (weekly cumulative 160g)
• Fruit and veg portions 5-8 - actual circa 12.75
• Fish 2 portion per week - actual 0 (weekly cumulative 1 + half oily)
• Cheese and butter below 50g - actual 50g cheese (weekly cumulative 100g)

Notes: to carry forward

1. Has anyone done any work on mushroom footprints and Check they are counted as vegetables?
2. Can I have tomatoes from Israel when I’m trying to avoid air freight and take the ethics high road?
3. Only counting OJ as 1 fruit portion: is that correct under Livewell?
4. Need to add proxies for non recorded items footprints and should add Otarian’s dishes and comparisons as proxies
5. I’m going to have to add black pepper & sea salt at end of week? plus breath freshener mints
6. I’m assuming potatoes aren't in the WWF Livewell Fruit & Veg portions, must check, must also check on eggs limit if relevant.
7. The carbon footprint data I’m using often includes preparation and wastage allowances, this I don’t believe was included in the WWF Livewell numbers?
8. http://www.foodmanufacture.co.uk/Business-News/Cadbury-furthers-carbon-footprint-debate 49g bar Cadbury Dairy Milk has 169g C02e – need to add this to the database, and decide if it’s better than the ludicrously high DEFRA numbers.

Day 2: 8th April

Today was a little more difficult but still kept to 1398 calories and just under 5kgs of carbon (reworked numbers), salt was OK, fruit & Veg portions at 6.1 had great but very small piece of pan fried sea bass (hoping “Finest” is line caught): certainly a little more real food).

I’m going to have to add black pepper & sea salt at end of week? Today I’ve had a pinch of salt & a couple of lots of black pepper

 
Morning (1.97carbon, 782cals, 71sodium, 1.2f&V)

1. 2 double espresso coffees at local deli farm shop (8cals & 0.56kgs Carbon)
2. 75g Kate's muesli (347cals based on Jordans Nut & Seed & no added salt) (0.075 carbon assumed)
3. 110ml semi skimmed milk (57cals, 47mg sodium) (carbon 0.132)
4. 75cl Apple Juice (370cals, 24mg sodium)(carbon1.2)
   
   Lunch (1.3carbon, 326cals, 215sodium, 2.3f&V)
5. 2 rounds toast (circa120g Vogals from freezer) (0.12 Carbon , 95 Cals, 21mg Sodium)
6. 2 large eggs poached (0.4Carbon, 143 Cals, 194 Sodium)
7. Cooked with Splash of organic apple cider vinegar (0.05 Carbon, 0Cals, 0Sodium)
8. 190g beef tomato, (0.72 Carbon, 34 Cals, Sodium)
9. Griddle in 6ml oilseed rape OSR oil (carbon 0.012, cals 54)
   
   Salad supper – ate a third (1.22carbon, 290cals, 467sodium, 2.6f&V)
10. 190g UK cherry tomatoes
11. 177g organic red pepper
12. 30g chives
13. 71g organic celery
14. 60g coriander
15. 1g dried Cool Chilli Co Habanera dried
16. Juice of a lemon
17. 31g local OSR oil
    Total weight 620g, ate 210g, Carbon 2.12, Cals 393, Sodium 65mgConsumed 0.71, Cals 131, Sodium 22mg 
18. 95g Finest Sea Bass (hoping it’s line caught) (carbon 0.51, cals 141, sodium 445mg)
19. 2g Smidgeon of OSR oil (carbon 0.004, cals 18)
    
20. Loads of tap water (nil)

The targets:

Calories 2300 - actual 1398

Carbon 5kgs - actual 4.49kgs

Salt 6g (2.4g sodium) - actual sodium 753mg

Meat 54g - actual nil (weekly cumulative nil)

Fruit and veg portions 5-8 - actual circa 6.1

Fish 2 portion per week - actual 1 (weekly cumulative 1non oily)

Cheese and butter below 50g - actual nil (weekly cumulative nil)

4.5kgs CO2, shocked tomatoes, coffee & apple juice nearly 3kg of that: calculating CO2 is hard work!

Tomorrow I’m meeting my twin sister for lunch, that may proof hard work, not the sister, the calories & carbon, we’ll see.

Must remember to back up: just had to rework all this!

Day 1: 7th April

Well it's day one and obviously today is going to be totally focussed and probably a little OTT and certainly hoping for more real food tomorrow. Not sure how accurate all the measurements are and there is some proxy stuff in there, here goes:

1. 3 double espresso coffees, woops at local farm shop (4cals*3 & 0.28kgs*3 Carbon)
2. 50g Kate's muesli (231cals based on Jordans Nut & Seed & no added salt) + 100ml semi skimmed milk (52cals, sodium 42mg) (carbon assumed at 50g for muesli proxy, and 0.12 for milk)
3. One pot of Veggie Curry 390g, from those nice folk at Fruit Towers (234cals, 0.7g sodium) (carbon proxy apple juice 0.62)
4. Another  pot of Veggie Curry 390g, from those nice folk at Fruit Towers (324cals, 0.7g sodium) (carbon proxy apple juice 0.62)
5. 5 water biscuits, circa 25g (14cals*5, no salt? based on Carrs) (carbon 0.06)
6. 1 orange circa 200g (94 cals no salt) (carbon 0.10)
7. Loads of tap water (nil)

The targets:

• Calories 2300 - actual 1017
• Carbon 5kgs - actual 2.41
• Salt 6g (2.4g sodium) - actual 1.442g sodium
• Meat 54g - actual nil (weekly cumulative nil)
• Fruit and veg portions 5-8 - actual circa 7
• Fish 2 portion per week - actual nil (weekly cumulative nil)
• Cheese and butter below 50g - actual nil (weekly cumulative nil)

Well assuming supper goes as planned that's as expected, over shooting the targets a little!
Measuring most of this stuff was OK with the help of some proxy data, hopefully we can get the carbon a little better as time goes on?

On the rest of my targets, the milk was nothing special, just from the local store, the coffee was faitrade (I think, so must check), no airfreight and most of the packaging will be recycled.

The start & targets

Maybe it's really is time to take the holistic approach to my diet and health and practice what I preach in full. For years my work, campaigning and social life has been focussed on great food which has been sourced properly with utmost care for the environment. For anyone who knows me, just maybe I've sample a little too much of that great food!

When looking to see who is out there to help set measurable targets for a healthy diet for people and the planet the resources seem somewhat limited. One thing is for sure there's more than one expert happy to talk about healthy eating, consuming less fat, less carbohydrates and no this or that (usually the stuff I like). Unfortunately more often than not they're sending us in the direction of absolute culinary boredom. Then to make it worse no one is really linking this purgatory to the environment in any way measurable: why I cannot understand, government, campaigners, academics and nearly everyone I've worked with has an opinion (myself included), but then no measurements for the environment.

That is until the angel arrived, praise be to WWF-UK, since they have published the WWF Livewell Diet 2011 with what appears achievable health targets, some great ethics, some carbon targets (my heaven) and very occasional treats and with some real food. So now it's time back up all that talk and set my targets:

On April 6th, 2011 I clocked in at 173cm tall and 91kgs, frighteningly I know that's on the edge of obesity with a BMI of 30+. So by Christmas Day 2011 the aim is hit 200cm tall (achievable?), 75kgs, a BMI of 25 and with a much lower environmental impact.

The plan is to follow the outline the angels at WWF have set with the LiveWell Diet and they've calculated if I'm a typical Brit (let’s just assume I am) my daily consumption is:

Calories 3500: apparently we need no more than 2500, so to lose some weight the target is 2300 calories - Fat Secret agree so will use their tools to check the nutrition (thanks guys)

Carbon Dioxide equivalent (Carbon) 7.8kgs: to meet the UK governments target for 2020 that has to be reduced to 5kgs of carbon - so that's the target, maybe there’s a need to allow for wastage? 

Salt 9.7g (men): the target is 6g – keeping an occasional eye on this

Meat 216g: to hit the carbon target this needs to be cut to no more than an average of 54g

Fruit and veg portions 3.5: their diet suggests 8, but let’s make it 5 for now

Fish 1 portion per week (a guess): the target is 2 portions per week, 1 of which is oily

Dairy 600ml liquid equivalent (an estimate): the target is the same, so to keep things simple maybe target the cheese and butter at below 50g per day and maybe revisiting later

There’s an aim to reduce all those bad fats, but the assumption I’ve made is that by reducing hard dairy and meat that should be covered.

In line with the WWF LiveWell diet I'll also consider: Biodiversity, our eco systems and forests, Water and other finite resources and the social well being of others.

May be I'll also talk about some of the other big issues they have highlighted like population growth and potential land shortages, fairer distribution of food (1.2bn hungry and 1.2bn overfed), food prices and the cost of my diet.  But let's see how it goes and what I can report back on.

Best for now, Tom (follow the blog)