NNM Day 14 :: Dessert at every meal

As I mentioned previously, I'm traveling in Nicaragua! Updating from my phone isn't really allowing me to spell-check and format they way I usually do. Forgive me! I'll be replacing some NNM posts with travel updates and "what I ate today" type content.

One great habit I picked up is having "dessert" with every meal.
                                                             
"Whaaat?! Katie... how are you not 468292 pounds?!"

Great question!

Dessert doesn't have to mean copious amouts of pie or cake or candy. In Korea, each (school) meal typically ended with some kind of seasonal fruit. I've always suffered from the "post-meal sweet craving," but in Korea I ended up accidentally training myself into being satisfied by the small bit of fruit at the end of lunches. Eventually, I added a fruity thing to the end of dinners I would make at home and if I went out, would sometimes grab a small ice cream. I did, however, find that on nights when we were drinking with dinner (big part of Korean dining-out is communal alcohol), I didn't really feel the need for anything after the meal. I suspect it has something to do with the meals typically being low in carbs, and my body recognizing if/when I needed to consume something carby- alcohol, our terrible friend, has the carby thaang covered!

A sample of how I add dessert to my meals now that I'm back in the US. Chili and Ezekiel toast with avocado and peppers, finished off with 1/2 an apple.

NNM Day 13 :: Travel Day

good

great

excellent!

Since I'll be on the road for the rest of National Nutrition Month, I'm not sure how often I'll be able to post. I may try my hand at some videos or highlights of what I'm eating while in Nicaragua. Whatever I miss while I'm away, I'll make up when I get back... blogging every day is hard!

So, for today let's talk about ways of approaching food/nutrition on days where you're travelling. In my opinion, these ideas can be implemented across every different kind of travel.

(+) If you're flying, do your research so you'll know if you'll be fed. Some flights offer meals, some offer free snacks, and some offer.... nothing.  If you're driving know if there are easy rest stops (some of the mini-marts I encountered on Rt 90 had produce available!). If you're on a train, look into what the snack car might have. Knowing before you go will help you plan accordingly.

(+) Bars. Keeping one or two in your bag could be a lifesaver. Instead of having to reach for a crappy-chippy-thing or idkwhatsinthis cookies, you'll have something that you're familiar with.

(+) Apples. They travel really well. I've never had my produce snacks confiscated. Apples in particular have the fiber to keep you satisfied and sugar if you're hangry and need a boost.

(+) Eat. Don't make the same mistake I did:: I have had several instances where I was too turned-off by my food options (airports, flight meals, and rest stops) that I didn't eat anything at all. No matter when or where you're travelling, you need to be on your A-game and "have your wits about you" (as my parents say!)... that is really hard to do when you're hungry and tired from low blood sugar.

(+) Stay hydrated. Common sense, I know. However, it can be really difficult to remember to get adequate water when you're on the go. It is especially important when flying-- something about flying is super dehydrating.

(+) Carry wet-wipes. Not exactly related to nutrition, but you're going to touch hundreds, if not thousands of surfaces when you travel. Your hands are going to be gross.

So from here on out, you may not hear from me every day... the formatting of posts will be terrible (yay phone writing!).... and topics may be a little abstract. Let's see what happens!

NNM Day 12 :: Beware of your (ground) Beef

BAD
Just beware.

Hamburgers are awesome. And meatballs. And turkey meatballs. And meatloaf. Where would we be without ground meat? We'd be hungry and/or bored with our meals. I watch a lot of Jamie Oliver videos, and a few years back, he had a show that followed him in his impassioned attempt to bring to light the imminent dangers of America's health crisis; particularly as it relates to school lunches.

In his show, he visited individual schools and tried to spark a little change. Each episode had a segment that had some pretty high shock value. This one, in particular, really grossed me out:

If you haven't watched it-- watch it. Watch it now. Go ahead... I'll wait.



Ok, good.

Let's review:

• After butchering, the leftover random pieces are (or should be) sent to a rendering plant to be turned into dog food.
• However, sometimes the leftover meaty bits are put in a centrifuge and separated from the bone/cartilage/gristle. 
• The tiny meat peaces are washed with ammonia and then ground.
• Up to 15% of the ammonia/meat mixture can be in your packaged ground beef (and I'm assuming this process is the same or similar for other animals).
• The USDA has determined the ammonia is not an ingredient, but rather a "process" (I call, bullshit on this one), so therefore does not need to be marked on the label.

Conclusion: Your ground meat can have ammonia and no one has to tell you. Think about all the ground meat products you consume: nuggets from a fast food chain, pre-made meatballs, packaged hamburg...

What I do (and this is part of the reason I am so obnoxious to shop with) is I figure out what is ground in the store and buy that. If I had the money to visit a butcher, I would do that... so for now, knowing that it is ground in store (and likely doesn't have the ammonia mixture) is good enough for me.

NNM Day 11 :: Carrots!

GOOD

Let's explore why carrots are awesome:

(1) Vision. We all know this, but did you know that they're particularly important for night vision? They have loads of Beta-carotine, which (in the liver) turns into Vitamin A, then (in the retina) turned to rhodopsin. Rhodopsin is a pigment in the purple family that is important for good night vision.

(2) Speaking of Vitamin A: it helps the liver push toxins out of the body and aids in.... let's sayyyy... keeping things regular.

(3) 1 medium carrot = Daily values: (Vitamin A = 210%) (Vitamin K = 10%) (Vitamin C = 6%). That's pretty impressive.

(4) Let's talk carotenoids. They're basically color pigments that make fruits and vegetables so bright and delicious-looking. Carotenoids (more understandably, produce with strong colors) are antioxidants.

(5) They promote healthy skin! Vitamin A is super important if you want good skin (and you should!). It helps prevent dryness and delays the onset of wrinkles. It can also help fight sun damage.




(Sources: care2.com, HowStuffWorks)

NNM Day 10 :: The "Fat Free" Myth

BAD

In the 1950's, Americans were told that fat is what was making us fat. Wrong-o. I mean, too much of anything isn't good, but saying that fat in our food is what is adding fat to our bodies is just poppycock. The fear of fat has set up an entire generation for failure in health ventures.

...ok maybe that's a little dramatic. But there was a long period of time where Americans were told that fat is the enemy and should be avoided at all costs. What was subbed in? Carbs! Lots and lots of carbs! And we all know that carbs are important to a healthy diet; but easy-to-cook, refined carbohydrates were apparently the answer to filling the satiety gap left by nixing the fat.

Before delving into the bad, lets take a look at the good:

Fat is cool!
(+) Fatty acids! Our bodies can make most of the fats it needs from our diet. There are a couple that our bodies can't make, so we need to get them from food.
(+) Brain and nerves. Apparently fat surrounds nerve cells so they can transmit messages between the brain and.... everywhere else. The brain needs some fat in it, too
(+) Fat helps combat cravings!
(+) Fat helps you feel full. It keeps food in the stomach longer, making you feel full longer.
(+) Some vitamins are fat-soluble (A, D, E, and K), which means that that fat needs to be present for these vitamins to be absorbed by the body. If there is not enough fat, your body can't pull the vitamins from your other foods :(

Let's get to it!

In our grocery stores today, we see products labeled as "low fat" or "fat free," and many of those products are the painful reminders of the fat-free movement of yore (aka the 50's). We see cookies labeled as "fat free" and our brain knows that can't be right. Well, brain.... high-five. While maybe (literal) fat has been removed, the manufacturer needed to add something in to compensate for taste. Sugar and salt are two big perpetrators of this phenomenon.

Do an experiment when you go to the grocery store next time: find a product that has an original as well as a fat free/reduced fat/low fat option. Take the two products and compare the labels. Check the calories, fat, sugar, and salt. I bet you'll be surprised. Want to be even more surprised? Take a look at the Daily Value column (labeled as DV%).


What's the big deal about replacing fat with sugar?
Good question. The answer is: because of the way it is metabolized. As I understand it, the simplest answer is: fat takes longer to digest because it is more complex. Excess sugar in our food is so frustrating and infuriating to me that I want to scream. You can read more about how our bodies handle sugar here.


Now, we know that fat is an important part of a healthy diet. It shouldn't be the most prevalent portion of our diet, but it needs to be there. Salt and added sugar on the other hand... are 2 things that we are told to be acutely aware of. I don't know about you, but if I'm going to choose the original version (on the rare occasion I do purchase crackery-chippy-cookie type things).

Dairy products should be examined, too! Apparently fat free half-and-half is a big perpetrator, but I'm not really sure since its not a product I purchase. I know that some yogurts are ok and some are.... very not. The best way to tell is flip the product over and take a look at the ingredient list. For example, I my yogurt is labeled as nonfat, but only has natural ingredients (pasteurized milk and active cultures).

NNM Day 9 :: Tracking Your Food

GOOD

While I don't advocate for counting every last calorie, there is merit to keeping tabs on your food intake.

Why?:
(+) Food = energy. Keeping track of how much and why type of energy you have to burn is generally a good idea. Think of how it would be if your car didn't have a gas gauge!
(+) Varying nutrient levels. There are so many different vitamins and minerals out there ! Taking notice of what you eat can keep you clued in on which nutrients you're getting plenty of... and which nutrients are being neglected.
(+) Helps with variety. I've noticed that since I've started keeping a food diary (I used the one attached to my FitBit), I'm much more able to see if I'm getting a good enough variety. For example, if I steam carrots for a morning smoothie, I'll stick to something green for lunch. Or if I have a banana with breakfast, I'll use an avocado in my post-gym smoothie.

How I handled it...

My wonderful Vitamin & Mineral
list lives in the kitchen!

It can be really difficult to know what foods have which nutrients, I found this great list broken down by nutrient and then had a list of foods that have each nutrient. I loved the list so much that I decided I needed to add it to the other basic nutrition info I keep taped inside my cupboards!

I copied and pasted it into a word document and then highlighted the foods that are extremely prevalent in my diet. Many of those foods ticked off several nutrient categories. For example, eggs are included in: Vitamin A, B2, B3, B5, B6, B12, Folic Acid, and Biotin. Seeing many highlighted foods in a certain nutrient category tells me that I don't need to put forth any real effort to ensure I'm consuming adequate amounts of that nutrient.

According to my chart, I'm totally set with Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Magnesium, and Potassium. However, I don't regularly eat any of the foods in the Selenium category and I only regularly eat1 of the foods on the Zinc list. This means that I need to make an effort to incorporate other foods on those lists.

I recommend...
It is totally worth it to know what nutrients are in which foods. Copy this list, paste it into a word doc, make it pretty, and put it somewhere where you can easily take a peek when you're thinking about your food for the day! I went as far as laminating mine!

NNM Day 8 :: Inactivity

BAD
Inactivity is bad, so let's talk about ways to get active without it seeming like a daunting task.

I recognize that activity levels have nothing to do with nutrients in food- but they're definitely related.

There is this cycle that people get stuck in. Thinking that the way to health is only through food is totally misguided. You need both activity and good nutrition. If you consistently choose to watch episodes of Vanderpump Rules (my guilty pleasure) instead of walking your dog, or going to the gym, or getting your step-count above 10,000 (obsessed with my FitBit)-- then you need to reassess your priorities. If you put off being active, then your inactivity becomes a habit... and the calories you eat aren't burned properly... and then they're stored. You know where calories go to be stored? You guessed it- fat. Fat is literally stored energy (translation = food we've eaten that we haven't been able to burn off).

Let's use abs as an example: You can go to the gym and workout until you pass out-- and have a strong core-- but you're not getting the chiseled look that you thought you would. Its because you're eating too much and more likely, not eating right. Those 6-pack abs ARE there... they're just hidden under a layer of.... "protection."

I have been in this cycle before, too. You can increase your muscles mass and strength by going to the gym, but you need to take a serious look at your energy/calorie sources if you want to see a real difference in your physique.

When professionals tell you to take baby steps, you should be listening. It sounds bass-ackwards (get it? ass-backwards! bah!) but it'll work. Trying to make huge, sweeping changes right from the start is setting you up for both short-term and long-term failure.

Imagine your baby/younger sibling/toddler cousin is just learning to walk... do you expect them to immediately move from crawling to running?! No. That's ridiculous. They start out with small, tentative steps; and then gradually learn how to take bigger, faster steps. Have you ever seen a mother walking hand-in-hand with her small child, and she has clearly forgotten that they are tiny and can't take the same wide strides she can? That is kinda like a lot of the advice that is thrown at people about nutrition and exercise. It's not your fault you can't keep up with mommy, she needs to slow it down and help you succeed by keeping pace with you, her adorable tiny-legged baby.

I'm all about the metaphors today!

Nutrition is your right foot. Activity is your left. You need both to walk. 
(1) Make tiny, sustainable nutrition changes. Cut out a vice (like chips, soda, ice cream, etc...). Pick ONE and say bye-bye for 21 days.
(2) Once you're comfortably into the 21-day vice fast, make a choice to spend 1 or 2 days walking through a park/your neighborhood/on a treadmill. Find somewhere you feel comfortable and just increase your walking.
(3) By now, your 21 days are up... and weird.... you don't even want your vice anymore. Huh. This time, make a trade. Cut out another vice and replace it with something healthy. I love hummus so I swapped veg for pretzels and crackers. Or strawberries for post-dinner cookies. Give it 21.
(4) Add another day to activity plan. Or if your comfortable, grab a couple free weights at Target and do a YouTube follow-along workout. Or try a machine or 2 at the gym.

By this point- if you're 6 weeks in- and taking small steps (and actually taking them seriously), I can almost guarantee that changes are visible. If you're above your ideal weight zone, changes with small tweaks will happen fairly quickly. I was still in my healthy-weight zone but I was right at the top, and it took me 6 weeks to notice.

Once you see those small, but visible results, your confidence is going to skyrocket! Keep with the small changes-- if you try to jump to big changes too quickly, you might scare your self off. But I have complete confidence that anyone can do it!

The way I did it was by cutting out 1 thing every 2 weeks. One cycle I would avoid soda, another ice cream, and another bready treats. I rotated through several of my vices and eventually came to the point where I didn't want them any more. I added smoothies for a nutritional boost, and then started swapping veggies for crackers/chips (not always-- I'm human-- and I cannot eat a sandwich without crunchy-chippy type items). I went from walking on the treadmill to adding the recumbent bike before heading to the treadmill. Eventually, I started doing my own circuit workout (did 1-3 machines for each part of my body every day: legs, back, abs, arms). Now I have dedicated days for legs, arms, core, and maybe throw in 1 circuit day for nostalgia's sake :)

Inactivity is going to be a huge barrier to success. You need to up your activity level if you want to make a difference in your physical self. Start with the "foot" (nutrition or activity) that you're more confident with. If you think you would rather start off with a change in activity before you take the 21-day vice-purge, then by all means- do that! The most important thing is keeping yourself dedicated to the desire to change. It isn't always going to be fun or easy, but it will get easier. There is a serious high attached to realizing that you can walk longer, lift higher, breathe better during exercise. It's weird, but the extra space in the pants pales in comparison to the pride taken in increased physical ability and the energy-boost that comes from getting the right bodily fuel!

NNM Day 7 :: Nutrition Bars

GOOD(er than other options)
I iz gramr geenyus

Last time I mentioned those "nutritional" bars that some diet franchises sell to their subscribers. I was going to include the better choices in that post, but I had too much to say!

TGTABTAO!: Thank God There Are Bars That Are Okay!
In addition to the processed bars, there are now loads of other, better options. If you're a purist, go for the Larabars. The ingredient lists are astoundingly short. I always have one in my bag just in case. The Chocolate Chip Brownie bar is my go-to for when I have a mean chocolate craving. Sometimes I'll have 1/2 a bar after dinner and treat it like a dessert. The Apple Pie or Blueberry Muffin are my "every day" bars. Both awesome and both taste like what the wrapper claims they should taste like.

There are others that are alright. I just tried the thinkThin Cookies and Creme bar (pretty good). Like with a lot of bars, it doesn't taste exactly like what the wrapper says, but for 20g of protein and "no sugar" (they use sugar alcohols, which aren't healthy, but aren't that terrible, either).

The Strong & Kind bars are good, too. They use almonds to boost the protein and have a relatively low amount of sugar. I like the Roasted Jalapeno and Honey Smoked BBQ. One thing I like about these is that they're savory. A lot of the nutrition bars are sweet, and I'm more of a savory snack kinda gal.

I just want to emphasize that these bars shouldn't be used regularly as meal replacement options. I have maybe 1 or 2 each week when necessary. Sometimes I'm out during a meal time, so I'll have a bar to hold me over until I can get home and have some real food. And sometimes I'll have 1/2 a Larabar as a dessert to keep me from reaching for high-sugar desserts.

Sometimes you're in a rush, hungry, and without a snack. Flip over the bar and keep an eye on these criteria:
(+) Protein. You want something that is going to keep you satisfied.
(+) Sugar. This is super important. So many snack/nutrition bars have loads of sugar to compensate for taste. Remember that the daily intake of added sugar is about 37g for men and 25g for women. Think about what you've already eaten and what you plan to eat later. If that bar has 17g of sugar you're already well, WELL into your consumption for the day. If you've had a coffee with sugar or flavoring, then you're probably over. Glass of juice? Over. Bowl of cereal... maybe over.
(+) Calories. While I don't recommend letting this be the first thing you look at, and shouldn't necessarily be a deterrent, just take note. Larabars are usually in the 200cal range- which seems like a high number. Considering the ingredient list is short, and the protein/fiber/sugar numbers make me happy- I'm not bothered by it being 200 calories. If I was someone who watched their calorie intake more rigidly, it would just mean I would need to tweak my meals later in the day. NBD


SarahFit has a great blog post about her recommendations for protein bars: 7 Best Protein Bars to Buy at the Grocery Store

NNM Day 6 :: "Dieting"

BAD

Let's go with : Extremely wary of

Not all formal diets are bad. It would be wrong of me to lump them all together since they're so different. One thing that I'm a little suspicious of is that most "diets" have some kind of cost attached.

Diet Pills:
Beware! Many are really pricey and promise huge results really quickly. Why wouldn't I be suspicious?! Deep down, we all know that the only way to really achieve success is to control the food we're putting in. If they're claiming that you don't need to change the way you eat or your activity level... that should be a huge red flag.

I get that there are pills out there that are (a) prescribed by doctors as a weight loss aide, (b) pills over the counter that supposedly help boost metabolism, and (c) over the counter appetite suppressants. Those are maybe justifiable if you're really overweight and using them to kick start the loss AND pairing them with healthy diet and exercise changes. Maybe.

Weigh Loss Shakes:
Ew. I've tried them on a few occasions and they're yucky. I have a vague memory of trying them in high school, not that I was big or anything.... so I'm not sure why I did it. One thing about them is that they definitely leave something to be desired- and I, personally, wound up snacking hardcore. They taste like chalk. It's so much more delicious to throw some fruit/veggies/yogurt into a blender and make it at home. The combo of protein powder, yogurt, and strawberries (+ whatever else you want in there) is really filling. Make that and never look back.

Books/Fad Diets:
Meh... could be worse. I'm about 10 pages into the first Zone book, I know some people who more-or-less swear by the Zone, and I'm a little suspicious, but not overly concerned. For example, I hear a lot about the glycemic index of certain foods; but get a little suspicious that crackers are ok, but carrots are something to be cautious of. I don't care about the crackers going in, I'm more a interested in why there aren't more vegetables going down the hatch. Hence, the reason why I'm going to finish reading the book.

Same applies to other book-based diets: Atkins, South Beach. I'm inherently wary of anything that tells you to completely cut out any one kind of food. That is just not sustainable. It leads to secret snacking, which leads to shame, which leads to stress eating... No bueno.

"Nutrition" Bars:
Could be worse, but proceed with caution! A few things:
(a) Some of them are attached to a diet franchise like the Zone, Atkins, Slim Fast, etc... Let's stop and think about this for a second. This book/program you purchased is a company -- they want to sell you something -- they want to keep selling you something so their business can continue to survive and grow. With me? What motives does this multi billion dollar company have to help you get to your goals? NONE. Because if you succeed, you'll pull away and they'll lose your business. I'm not saying that there is full-blown sabotage here, but just let that sink in.
(b) WTF is in them?! Look at the ingredient list. I'm fine looking at labels and not understanding 1 or 2 ingredients, but flip over a "diet" bar and good luck reading that.
(c) Many claim to be fortified with vitamins and minerals. Ok, fine. But why are you so deficient in the natural forms of those nutrients that you need to get it from an overly processed bar?

Stay tuned for a post about the "good" nutrition bars!

Weight Watchers:
I think Weight Watchers is the least of the evils for sure. If someone wants to lose weight and get healthy, WW can be a fantastic starting point for them. Yes, they're a business and making money off you. However, they offer an invaluable support system of coaches and peers-- those can be huge when you're feeling vulnerable. Without overtly saying it, WW is sorta treating their program like an addiction program- and I think that's great. Food addiction is a real problem, and support from people who have broken their cycle of food abuse is a great example for those who want to make changes.

Now, I'm generally against frozen dinners and stringent calorie counting. You know you should be eating fresh foods and steering clear of too many overly processed foods. Using Weight Watchers to get yourself to a point where you think "Ok, I can do this" is great. At a point, I think that once certain confidence levels have been reached, maybe moving on from WW would be wise. You've got the tools and the confidence; you know you can do it and striking out on our own would just prove that point. Ya know? Eventually, you're going to need to give up paying for WW..... or you're going to go on vacation or move-- knowing how to handle your eating and practicing self-control, I believe are huge contributing factors in long-term success

There are a lot of other "diets" out there. Be very wary of what they're trying to sell you. Some have great principles behind them, but ultimately, they are a business and they want to sell you something. Take what you need from them, and then let your intuition take over from there. You know you should be eating cucumbers over chips and apples over muffins. You've got this! Change is uncomfortable, but absolutely doable and sustainable. 

Let's sum it up:
(1) Deep down, we all know what we should and should not be eating.
(2) The "diet" industry doesn't really have any investment in your success- they want to keep their business going. (Why don't you take the money you're investing in books, bars, and meetings and invest it in a local farmer?)
(3) Looking for quick results can't lead to anything good (addiction to diet pills, unhealthy eating patterns, nutritional imbalance, etc...)

NNM Day 5 :: Raisin Water

GOOD

This one is going to be a little obscure and very propaganda-y.

I love raisin water (aka heotgaecha)(aka Japanese raisin tea)(aka wtf are you drinking?!)

I was introduced to this product during my third year in Korea.... and I wish I had found it sooner. It comes in a few different forms. I was most familiar with the bottled form that was easy to grab in the local mini-marts. My friend Meg handed me one once and told me to drink it before I started drinking alcohol. Apparently, whatever was in this magical drink helped to stave off hangovers. Considering that after I turned 26 my hangovers got way worse, I figured anything was worth a try! Well... it worked! I woke up relatively hangover free. I couldn't believe it and from then on, I never consumed alcohol without first having some raisin water (that was the affectionate nickname given to the brew... mainly because the only English on the bottle says "oriental raisin water").

A little about raisin water:

It is a tea steeped from a plant called Hovenia dulcis, also known as oriental raisin tree, and it is found mainly in Korea and eastern China. When the fruit of the tree is dried, it tastes kinda like raisins- hence, the name. The bark and leaves are brewed to make tea, and that tea is what I used as my hangover cure. The tea is know as having a healing effect on the liver, and was actually approved by the Korean version of the FDA as a treatment for alcoholism.

For me, this stuff had something like an 80% success rate with keeping the hangover away (or at least significantly minimizing it). I drank it in proportion to the amount (and type) of alcohol I consumed during the evening. I always started the evening with a 500ml bottle, and would make judgement calls throughout the evening based on my consumption. I usually started and ended the night with a 500ml bottle. I think part of the reason it worked so well is that it kept me hydrated. After using it for so long, I became a little skeptical; wondering if it really worked as well as I thought it did.

...so I did 2 little experiments:

(1) One night out, I realized that I hadn't started out the night with my raisin water, so I figured I would just drink water in the same proportion that I usually drink the raisin water and see how I felt the next day. Terrible. I felt awful. Not as bad as I would have been if I hadn't been on top of my water consumption; but still... pretty sittay.

(2) I rarely eat fast food, and had noticed that I would get this weird hangover feeling whenever I did indulge in McD's or other fast food in Korea. I made a McD's date with a friend, but had a raisin water beforehand and ordered the same thing I usually ordered. Interestingly, I didn't get the weird....erm.... gurgley stomach thing that I had before AND the next day I didn't feel like a blob!

Results = success! It must do something in the liver area. I definitely believed it when Meg told me all about it, but was pretty excited that it held up to my experimentation. From then on, I drank it regularly even when alcohol wasn't involved-- just a general addition to my nutrition/health weekly routine.

When I got home, I was super bummed that I wouldn't have easy access to my wondertea. Luckily, I mailed home a few small boxes of the tea bags, so I was still able to enjoy it-- but I didn't want to run out too quickly, so I used it super conservatively. When I went to Canada over the summer, my friend Lisa took me to this amazing Asian superstore and they had it!! I was so excited that I bought 2 boxes! Now I have enough to last me for a long time! :)

I definitely recommend trying this product (especially if you're prone to hangovers or really affected by your occasional fast food indulgence).

NNM Day 4 :: Produce Predicament

BAD

We have all experienced that extremely guilty feeling related to searching through the fridge and finding a dead and decaying tomato or a bag of rubbery carrots. Removing them and putting them in the trash... is pretty painful.

There is a chain of events that lead to the tragic produce death. (1) You buy loads of fresh food because you want to eat (or want to start eating) right. (2) You get home and put it all away. (3) A few days go by and you've only used a few things.... and the lettuce is starting to look a little sad. (4) A few more days and a few salads later you notice the smell.... though you've used most of the lettuce, 1 of the 3 tomatoes and 1/2 a pepper you bought- the remaining items have gone off. (5) You feel sad. (6) You throw away the corpses. (7) Next time you shop, you either do the same thing over again and waste more food... or you decide to not buy fresh produce. 

#losing

Yes, I realize that maybe you've wised up for the second time around and you buy only what you know you can eat. For the sake of this article, lets pretend that's not the case.

How can we avoid wasting food?

There are a few ways to approach the produce predicament. 

(+) If you're someone who doesn't create their grocery list in strict accordance with your pre-planned weekly meals, choosing a few produce staples to keep in the house will be key. Pick a few things that you know you'll definitely eat or be able to realistically incorporate into your week.

(+) Know the life of your produce! Celery is pretty hearty and can last a few weeks, however lemons aren't so lucky. Knowing how ripe it is when you buy it, how to store it, and how long it can last will really help.

(+) Buy frozen! I keep a huge stock of frozen fruits for smoothies and yogurt. I have loads of frozen veggies, too. If something you bought fresh is about to go off, freeze it! I do that with onions all.the.time! I use them often enough that as soon as I buy them, I slice them into 2 or 3 different sizes (minced, diced, and sometimes thin strings) and put them straight into the freezer.

(+) When I was in Korea, I bought produce several times per week. I lived and worked near markets, so it was convenient to run out when I specifically needed something. It also staggered when things would go off. If you can, try to buy produce as you need it-- it is a little more time consuming, but you'll be sure to use it.

(+) Peeking into your fridge every once in a while to check the status of your fresh food will save you a lot of heartache. This morning I noticed I had a sad looking banana... I acted fast, chopped that sucker up, and froze it. Day... saved.

Things I always have on-hand:

romaine lettuce - bell peppers - tomatoes - onion - carrots - avocado - bananas - apples

Those are items I know I'll either use during the week or they last long enough that I can buy them and don't need to think about them for a little while. Except for bananas.... I eat those at a concerning rate.

NNM Day 3 :: Balancing Your Day

GOOD

Balancing your nutritional intake throughout the day and week can be really difficult. You plan out meals and snacks in your head, and then cravings hit or you go to the gym and are starving when you get home. This post is going to be a little more of an outline as to what I do to keep food intake as balanced as possible. Before you read any further, head on over to the National Nutrition Awareness site and take this cool Rate Your Plate quiz. It's short and easy and you can get a reality check/a better idea as to how you're doing on your daily nutrition journey.

First, if you've ready any of my previous health and wellness posts, you'll know my basic principles are:
(1) get the good stuff in so you'll have less room for the bad stuff
(2) get the good stuff in so you don't have to feel super guilty when you indulge in the bad stuff
(3) sugar (especially sugar-sweetened beverages) is my biggest frenemy ( I hate him so much, but he's seen me through some tough times, so I can still see him occasionally)

As a hobbyist (aka not someone certified in any kind of nutrition program), I only know the science that I research. However, one big thing I rely on is my intuition. We all have at least a basic knowledge of whether or not we should be consuming something.

Here we go:

(+) In the morning, I eat a lot of food. There are a few reasons why. I exercise regularly, and as I understand it when your muscles are well-developed, it takes more energy (calories- remember, a calorie is just the unit name for energy) to maintain them. This means that I burn more calories at rest than I would if I wasn't toned. Also, I've always felt like I have needed more food to feel satisfied than many of comparably-sized friends. Lastly, I workout about 90 minutes after I eat breakfast, so I need something that is going to keep me satisfied

(+) I snack constantly. Yes, I mentioned that I eat a big breakfast, but I usually have a small snack right before I head to the gym. For example, today it was 1/2 an apple: high in fiber to keep that sense of fullness and a little natural sugar for a small boost.

(+) I sneak veggies into my snacks and meals. Today, I couldn't decide between hummus or guac for my afternoon snack, both of which I usually enjoy with 2 Wasas cracker (pretty goo size, high-ish in fiber, and 40cals). So today since I hadn't included a veg in my breakfast or morning snack, I opted for 1 Wasa cracker and 1/6 of an orange bell pepper. I'll do something similar with my lunches if I'm behind on my veg intake.

(+) Smoothies are easy ways to sneak in good stuff. I frequently boil carrots until they're soft and blend them into my smoothies. I also use spinach and kale. Some people are also lacking in their dairy intake and smoothies are a great way to sneak a little dairy into your day. Look for any yogurt that has no added sugars or weird ingredients, and add a few spoonfuls to the smoothie.

(+) Plan ahead. If I'm going to be in the car or out and about through a meal or snack time, I bring something with me to snack on. I usually opt for a smoothie because they're easy to sip on while driving. Also, know your schedule: if you have an office party at night, then you may wind up eating something less-than-healthy. Make the beginning of your day light and nutritious so you won't feel like you need to obsessively edit your eating when you're with friends and colleagues!

(+) I make goals: 3-4 fruits, 4-6 vegetables, something dairy, something grainy, and something indulgent. I realize that is vastly oversimplifying it, but that is minimum consumption goal. For example, yesterday I had: 1 banana, 1 apple, appx 6-8oz lemon juice, 2/3c chopped peppers, a few slices of onion, 1/4 cauliflower, 1 tomato, mixed veg (in the form of homemade chili), lots of shredded mozzarella, 5oz yogurt, Wasa cracker, and 1 slice of cinnamon raisin Ezekiel bread. And ok.... wine. 8 ounces.

(+) I never skip a meal. Unless I'm sick or really busy, I never skip a meal. And even if I miss a meal, I will eat something to hold myself over. This was something I worried about with my students in Korea. They are borderline obsessed with being/staying thin-- I even heard from another teacher that said she has a student who claims she only eats 1 apple every day! Ya know what... this is interesting and important enough, that I'm going to make a whole post about it in the next few days.

(+) If I don't know what it is or what's in it, I no longer feel shame about asking or looking at the label. Ultimately, it's my body and I don't really care about looking like the freak who has to read all the yogurt labels before making a selection.

(+) I rotate tea and coffee. Some days I drink tea, and some drink coffee. Generally, if I'm going to the gym I'll have coffee 30 minutes before I leave. Otherwise, I sip on green tea all day. Both have some health benefits, and I like them equally, so I keep them both in the morning rotation.

NNM Day 2 :: Pasta and Whole Grains!

BAD

We're going to look at white pasta vs. whole meal pasta.

What is white pasta?
White pasta is an easier way of saying "refined pasta." Anything labeled as "refined" should set off your "a lot has been done to this / it must be pretty far from it's natural state" radar. The bran layer has been removed from the grain and this is what provides the texture and ultra long shelf life. I'm a little unclear as to whether or not removing the bran layer (and the germ) are intentional or just byproducts are the refining process. I would assume it is intentional, as (it is a popular opinion that)
white/refined pasta has a more pleasing texture.

What is whole grain?
That's easy! Whole grains are exactly what they sound like = grains that are in their natural state. They're ground and then used in many different applications,

Why should I care that the bran and germ are missing from white pasta?

A whole grain contains 3 'layers' :: the bran, the endosperm, and the germ. As you can see from the lovely infographic from LivingHealthyWay, white grains are stripped bare and retain only the endosperm which only has protein and carbohydrates. Poor endosperm! Whole grains have their integrity and body intact. In addition to the carb and protein value of the endosperm, you get Vitamin B and fibery-goodness of the bran as well as antioxidants and healthy fats of the germ!

Anything else I should know?
Yes there is!
(1) The US government requires that all refined flour be enriched with Vitamin B and a handful of minerals to make up for the nutrient-stripping refining process. In my opinion, it seems dumb to take out the good stuff and then just add it back in. Why wouldn't you just leave it alone and keep the good stuff?
(2) Not all products labeled as whole grain are actually 100% whole grain. Many are a combination of refined grains and whole grains. Ensure you're getting 100& whole grain by reading the labels!

Ok Katie, wrap it up...
In conclusion, it is my opinion that it makes almost no sense to buy white pasta. White pasta may be more prevalent on shelves and a little cheaper, but is highly processed. With whole grain pasta, you may be paying a teeny bit more and the texture is a little different... but they offer a nutrient balance that nature has concocted for us. Keep in mind that all this info translates to other grain products like bread products and crackers!


An important takeaway here is that you don't need to give up pasta! I'm not saying that it should be an everyday food, but making a smarter shopping choice can have a positive long-term impact on your health. Pasta is still pasta, but if you're going to keep it on you "indulgent foods" list, why not make sure that you're getting all the "good stuff" (vitamins and minerals) in there with it?! NO-BRAINER!



(Sources in addition to previous knowledge: Whole Grains Council, SF Gate, Living Healthy Way)