Rules

You know those Yahoo headlines?  I'm not much of a sucker for them.  I know that the corresponding story is going to be a) something I already know or  b) different from what the headline promises or  c) a waste of time.  But, now and then the nutrition / health ones do draw me in.  I liked the one I read recently - it's about how people who are lean abide by certain "rules" to stay that way.

None of these things were news to me . . . I've dieted, exercised, and read enough health, diet & exercise magazines and books over the years to have found out about these "rules." But, it was a good reality check about whether or not I follow these on a regular basis.

A certain number on a scale isn't my goal and I believe that being healthy requires a lifestyle commitment to eating nutritious food and exercising regularly.  Even though I know that intellectually, I still struggle with my serious sweet tooth (next post:  cake) and have recently had to cut down on the number of workouts I'm able to do per week.  One of the areas I've noticed that I do poorly in (not in the article) is the amount of liquid calories that I consume.  So, I'll be honest and give you the rules from the article with my personal evaluation of how I'm doing:

#1 - Lean people don't diet - Truthfully, I probably would diet if I thought it would work or if I had more self discipline.  But, I don't.  Now and then, I do a fast from all sugar and white flour and it makes a huge difference but other than that, I eat what I think is healthy, fresh, and try to choose proteins over carbs (more on #5).

#2 -  Lean people don't go fat-free - I buy non-fat dairy products for myself and my husband (whole for the kiddos) and watch my saturated fat, but I don't buy "fat-free" things because of that label.  I'm more interested in finding foods with no added sugar than I am snacks with no fat (example:  KIND bars, trail mix, etc. - high in "good" fats but no added sugar).

#3 - Lean people sit down to eat - Does eating in the car count?  I usually stand to eat breakfast while I'm making my kids' breakfasts, feeding them, and on school days, making my daughter's lunch.  My biggest downfall is lunch and sometimes I drive through fast food if I'm out and in a hurry (usually BRC burritos at El Pollo Loco or coffee and a bistro box at Starbucks).  We always sit at the table for dinner.

#4 - Lean people know what they're going to eat next - I think about food all day.  Honestly.  I'll lay in bed at night thinking about what I'm going to eat for breakfast in the morning.  I'll be working out and thinking about what snack I'm going to have afterward.  I plan our dinners and know what I'm eating for dinner for a week.  But, I do snack on things that I don't intend to eat.  Like the open box of cookies or my daughter's candy or the pb&j crust I cut off her sandwich or random leftovers.

#5 - Lean people eat protein - Learning the effect of high protein diet in achieving a low-risk, healthy pregnancy drastically changed how I ate.  I learned approximately how many grams of protein certain foods have and take that into consideration at meals.  I've also noticed how my hunger, moods, and fatigue are affected when I don't eat enough protein.  I'm not doing as well on this as I have in the past and need to actively increase my protein intake.

#6 - Lean people move around - Does chasing your kids count?  Does moving around in your SUV count?  No, really, I do exercise.  Right now, it's gone from 5-6 days/week to 3-4 days/week but it's a commitment I've made to myself to stay active and I really work on being as consistent as I can.

#7 - Lean people watch less TV - I record probably 3 or 4 shows a week on our DVR that I like to watch.  Now that Project Runway is over and since 30 Rock hasn't been back this fall, it's more like 2 o4 3.  I don't have a lot of time to just sit on the couch and watch TV, and I don't like background noise from the TV, but if I had more time, I probably would watch more.

No Sugar Added

For almost 3 weeks, I cut all refined, added sugar and white flour out of my diet.  It wasn't as hard this time around as previous times when I've done it and I really felt good - more energy despite my 10 month old turning into a lousy sleeper again.  Even though now that I'm on vacation I've stopped being strict, I find myself reaching for healthier snacks and choices.  And, I wanted to share with you a few of my favorite items without sugar:

From left to right

Ak-mak crackers - no white flour, no sugar, from Trader Joe's or regular grocery stores

Brown rice rice cakes - I put almond butter and fruit spread on them for breakfast or cottage cheese on them for a snack

Kashi 7 whole grain Puffs - one of the only sugar free cereals I've found

Bars:  KIND and Think Thin Crunch -  delicious.  My favorite Kind is the apricot almond one.  Check the packaging - not all are sugar free.

Almond milk - vanilla flavored without sugar or any sugar free sweeteners

Tazo Tea - Green Tea with Ginger . . . . long time favorite.  Good for those afternoon cravings.

Happy 2010

Happy New Year everyone! One of the things I really enjoyed about 2009 was writing this blog . . . 103 entries to be exact! I'm hoping to keep up with it regularly in 2010 and I'm even planning a little give-away soon so be on the look out for that!

What are your food / diet / eating resolutions for 2010? Here are mine:
1) to keep cooking a healthy dinner at home at least 5 nights a week
2) to avoid any food product with ingredients that I don't recognize or can't pronounce (harder than it sounds . . . read those labels!)
3) to begin changing our meat consumption to organic free range poultry and grass-fed beef
4) to support local agriculture where I can (farmer's market and CSA).

I've been wondering why I have no new recipes to share with you all and it's mainly because after the holidays, I've been making old favorites that I've already posted here. This past week, I made corn chowder, BBQ Beef sandwiches, Chili Verde, and tonight I'm making the green soup. I promise to be more creative and have something new soon! I hope you have a happy and healthy 2010.

Eating Habits

Here's my dilemma: I love sugar, desserts, bread, pasta and I want to feel comfortable in a bathing suit this summer. For the next few weeks, I'm trying to cut out any added / refined sugar in my diet and any white flour. I did this for 6 weeks at the beginning of the year and it made a huge difference in how I felt. The first few days are always the worst for me and then I start having more energy and more will power. See that picture of my lunch today? I actually feel satisfied and proud of myself after eating that instead of the piece of pizza I was eyeing at Whole Foods this afternoon.

While my initial motivation for these dietary modifications might be pure vanity, what keeps me motivated is thinking about the health consequences of a diet high in refined sugar and refined carbs. I met a junior high health ed teacher recently and she told me that she has her students make paste out of white flour, sugar, and water to show them what it does to their bodies - yuck. Check out this blog for some great information and links to research. I've also been inspired by watching my parents do FLT and my sister-in-law survive a strict anti-candida diet so I figured that I could get rid of sugar as well. A final motivation has been my daughter - wanting to stay healthy for her sake and becoming concerned about what I feed her and what I teach her about eating habits.

For me, the white flour is much easier for me than the sugar. There are so many gluten free, whole grain options these days and I can easily eat brown rice, whole wheat pasta, barley, and quinoa. Sugar is another story. First, sugar is in EVERYTHING and I don't just mean sweets (black beans, canned vegetables, salad dressings, broth). Second, I love to bake and I have a hard time achieving good results (not just taste but texture) without some form of sugar. I'm going to be making a muffin recipe with coconut flour and agave that a friend made for me and I'll let you know how that goes.

For now, my sweet tooth is satisfied with freeze dried fruit, unsweetened dried mango, or dates, and I find that drinking lots of water helps cut down on the cravings. I'm also learning that I reach for snacks and sweets more when I'm bored, tired, or frustrated than when I'm actually hungry.

What are some of your dietary challenges, modifications, or tips for staying motivated?

And, although I still make this with sugar, here's a chocolate chip cookie recipe without white flour:

Chocolate Chip Cookies

3/4 c. oats, ground in the blender until flour-like
1 c. whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 c. butter, softened
1/4 c. oil
1/3 c. sugar
1/3 c. brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 c. chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix the dry ingredients together. With a mixer, cream the butter and the sugars. Add the egg, oil, and vanilla. Add the dry mixture to the butter mixture and stir until combined. Stir in the chocolate chips. Drop batter onto a baking sheet and bake for about 15 minutes or until lightly browned.