What would you skip school for?
Would watching this: http://social.macys.com/parade2010/?cm_sp=GFA-_-thanksgiving-_-n#/home do it?
How about eating http://www.google.ca/imgres?imgurl=http://ny-image2.etsy.com/il_fullxfull.94249314.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php%3Flisting_id%3D32060398&usg=__h75Ely1AX20a3KxpMKY0fBkqMc4=&h=600&w=900&sz=85&hl=en&start=0&sig2=34Wi7WSv8xkyvuxyClA-UQ&zoom=1&tbnid=ns4xNgw57qxMbM:&tbnh=115&tbnw=153&ei=hjjrTMnHM8iKnQfanbHeAQ&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dgrandma%2527s%2Bpumpkin%2Bpie%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26biw%3D1345%26bih%3D511%26tbs%3Disch:1&um=1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=612&vpy=198&dur=410&hovh=183&hovw=275&tx=123&ty=126&oei=hjjrTMnHM8iKnQfanbHeAQ&esq=1&page=1&ndsp=22&ved=1t:429,r:10,s:0 this?
Maybe the prospect of sitting in a confined space with your mother for hours on end? http://maps.google.ca/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=london,+on&daddr=mifflinburg,+PA,+USA&geocode=FUbQjwIdRkgo-ykLm42oDvIuiDGVawWaadfHKA%3BFU5acAIdOlho-ykzDX7_VBjPiTEiv8RjdWpRzg&hl=en&mra=ls&sll=42.02342,-79.02874&sspn=3.166489,10.777588&ie=UTF8&ll=42.081917,-79.057617&spn=3.163644,10.777588&t=h&z=7 ... I'm calling it quality time!
If not, I'm sure that the sales you know I'm going to find this weekend are going to be worth it! If you're not familiar with Black Friday, you should be!( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Friday_(shopping) )
If we get sick of the mall, I'm thinking of going to the Horse and Buggy Museum. http://maps.google.ca/maps?hl=en&expIds=17259,18167,26473,27692,27698,27744,27746&xhr=t&cp=35&wrapid=tljp1290484303665050&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=horse+and+buggy+museum+pennsylvania&fb=1&gl=ca&hq=horse+and+buggy+museum&hnear=Pennsylvania,+USA&cid=0,0,14215671893939436345&ei=VTrrTI-QM5D2sgbSxqyFDw&sa=X&oi=local_result&ct=image&resnum=1&sqi=2&ved=0CBoQnwIwAA
...going to Pennsylvania takes me back to my childhood! It's not just about Tastycakes, Cowtails, friend bologna sandwiches, and Manischewitz wine--although all of these things are lovely (and delicious)--it's about going home--that`s what`s worth skipping school for!
I'm going to round this out with a few thankfulness quotes:
"What we're really talking about is a wonderful day set aside on the fourth Thursday of November when no one diets. I mean, why else would they call it Thanksgiving?"
As a side note, there is no gym in the town where I`m going. I`m thinking of `forgetting` my runners. Periodization requires a week off or at least easy every once in a while, this way I`ll force myself to take a rest!
"Difficulties are opportunities to better things; they are stepping stones to greater experience. Perhaps someday you will be thankful for some temporary failure in a particular direction. When one door closes, another always opens."
Phew, changing programs and adding an extra year onto my undergrad is okay! I opened a new door to let me explore journalism, teaching, whatever else tickles my fancy without feeling pressured and rushed to get there! Yay for learning from our mistakes!
"We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures."
"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow."
Monday, November 22, 2010
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Eating "Right"
Home with nothing to read except my orgo book, I went to Shopper's and I picked up a copy of a Yoga Journal special. It's got some really good sequences in it if you're the zen type. It's also got a really good article about what 'eating right' means: http://www.yogajournal.com/lifestyle/2020 .
The article basically summed up what I'm trying to practice and linked a yoga practice to being more mindful and less scientific about what we eat. I really like the quotes that they pull out: "People have a guilt complex if they eat anything that tastes good....We've become so engrossed...that we've forgotten that the point of living is to enjoy."
Not just did it speak directly to me, it also cited several other books/movements that I've connected with in the past:
- "The Omivore's Dilemma" -- Michael Pollan ("In Defense of Food" is also good) -- Pollan recognizes that taking a purely scientific view of food is partly the problem in America. He wrote "Food Rules" recently. His basic idea is to "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants." He's one of those writers that can make anything interesting (read his book, then call me and we'll talk mushrooms...seriously). http://michaelpollan.com/books/the-omnivores-dilemma/
- "Food Politics" -- Marion Nestle (also "What to Eat") -- She points out that food companies are businesses. They need to sell things! We learned about this in one of my Brescia classes (omg, school actually applying to something I care about?) about Nutrition and Agriculture: In the past, food production has been driven by profits and not by health. Consumers who want healthier food need to demand that it be produced. http://www.foodpolitics.com/
- "Overcoming Overeating" -- Jane Hirschmann (co author) -- Written mostly about disordered eating, she notes that the government can't really tell us to eat less while also promoting agriculture. Think about it -- If people stopped overeating, what would happen to all the food? Insightful. Maybe we could start to feed the people who need it? http://www.overcomingovereating.com/index.html
Those are just the writers that I've read before or been interested in before! The article also features others that are probably insightful (Christmas reading list, anyone?).
I hope you guys read this and can relate to it. I hope the article stirs something in you too!
Other things that go along with this blog:
- "Pay the grocer instead of the doctor." I am always amazed at people (especially students) who cite lack of funds as a reason for eating processed foods. Not only can you eat whole foods on a budget (it might require some planning, eating what's in season, and comparison shopping or going to the market), convenience foods cost more than real food! Remember that you're paying for processing, packaging, shipping, marketing, etc. (also note that sometimes, there could be more going on if your convenient food is cheaper -- think government subsidies, exploitation of farmers, blah blah blah I won't bore you but think about it, read about it, and decide who you want to support for yourself). Spend money on good food.
- "Only eat it if it came from the ground or had a mother." Jillian Michaels -- There's a love-hate relationship here. I used to love. Then I saw her fat burners and thermogenics. Then I checked back and made sure I had in fact read that she said she'd never sell out and make these products. Then it became a love-hate thing. She still kicks butt and her get in your face / deal with your emotions approach rocks BUT sometimes I question her agenda (never when she's doing a product placement ad--did anyone watch Biggets Loser last night? How about them Brita filters -- the only way you'll stay hydrated!). Anyways, this is a smart way to think about most of your food choices.
- If your grandmother would've eaten it, go for it. My grandma likes TastyCakes (they're akin to Twinkies), but she also knows that butter, milk, bread, and eggs are not going to kill you -- in fact, they're staples. Regular butter, not margarine. 2% milk, not soy milk. Whatever bread's the freshest, not necessarily the 'whole grain' one in the freezer. Regular eggs, not egg white substitutes or omega 3 enriched eggs.
- "Food Inc." -- watch it. Or check out the website and read about some of the issues to do with food that have little to do with you thighs. http://www.foodincmovie.com/about-the-issues.php
All this being said, I eat pudding. I eat organic berries. I eat frozen pizza. I'm learning to listen to my body. Eating 'right' is an individual thing. (See the Caveman diet post, earlier). How do you define it?
...one more thought: Are you creating too many or overly rigid food rules for yourself so that you can feel in control of something? And don't you think there are better things you could do with your energy?
(For me, thinking of all the time I've WASTED worrying about this whole topic makes me realize that life is too short. Eat what you want, when your body wants it, and move on. Don't give food more power than it deserves. Don't underestimate the importance of nourishing yourself, body and soul, with food and with all the other good things in life.)
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Random thoughts
I couldn't find one thing that I really feel like commenting on, so here are a couple things that I found interesting in my exploring today...
1) Walmart planning to buy more local produce...http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/15/business/15walmart.html?ref=nutrition
Sometime's it's funny how you can have a conversation, lecture, or just think about something and then all of a sudden it's all around you. Reading about 'sustainability' in school is actually interesting, and this kind of makes me feel better about the fact that I, on occasion, go to Walmart for groceries (quite the change from the farmer's market, I know). Less guilt is definitely a good thing...
2) On the vein of food guilt, I'll segue into this one...http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/27/dining/27candy.html?pagewanted=2&ref=nutrition
Candy (and sugar in general) as the scapegoat in nutrition talk? Yep! High fructose corn syrup takes a big hit too! I understand that it's an issue for economic reasons (corn subsidies, etc.) and that foods that contain it are far from nutritional all-stars, but Jillian Michaels and Dr. Oz (who I trusted without really thinking about it) led me to believe that there was something inherently different about the way my body handles the stuff. Turns out, there's no difference. Unless you could isolate the fructose, which is handled differently, sugar is sugar. That means things with high fructose corn syrup and things with sugar are equally as sugary. Notice, after reading the NY Times link, I didn't say 'bad' or 'indulgent' or 'sinful' -- food shouldn't have moral implications. Think about all the advertisements you see (right now I'm picturing the ones for the sugar free Jello pudding--it tastes good, yes...but what's in it anyways?--that place their product as morally superior to 'sinful' cheesecake/rich desserts, etc.). Now, realize how crazy it is to consider food on a moral level!
3) My sister made me feel better last night, so here's another eerily relevant one...http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/26/health/26essay.html?ref=views
4) And this one hits close to home too because I am seriously considering putting myself on a crackberry diet...http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/16/health/research/16behavior.html?ref=health What do you guys think? How do you decide if you're spending too much time texting or on your Blackberry? I like the idea of not, I like the idea of giving up facebook, and I like the idea of having face to face encounters. I don't like the idea of not being able to let my friends know when something funny or bad happens, I don't like the idea of not being able to talk to the people I love 20 times a day if I want to, I don't like the idea of losing touch with out of town friends. It's a tough balance, I suppose, and something we all have to figure out for ourselves! I know that if one more person ploughs into me on the bridge because they're too busy texting to look up and see where they're going, shit might hit the fan!
...that's all for now folks! Amazing the things you find if you poke around the NY Times site!
1) Walmart planning to buy more local produce...http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/15/business/15walmart.html?ref=nutrition
Sometime's it's funny how you can have a conversation, lecture, or just think about something and then all of a sudden it's all around you. Reading about 'sustainability' in school is actually interesting, and this kind of makes me feel better about the fact that I, on occasion, go to Walmart for groceries (quite the change from the farmer's market, I know). Less guilt is definitely a good thing...
2) On the vein of food guilt, I'll segue into this one...http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/27/dining/27candy.html?pagewanted=2&ref=nutrition
Candy (and sugar in general) as the scapegoat in nutrition talk? Yep! High fructose corn syrup takes a big hit too! I understand that it's an issue for economic reasons (corn subsidies, etc.) and that foods that contain it are far from nutritional all-stars, but Jillian Michaels and Dr. Oz (who I trusted without really thinking about it) led me to believe that there was something inherently different about the way my body handles the stuff. Turns out, there's no difference. Unless you could isolate the fructose, which is handled differently, sugar is sugar. That means things with high fructose corn syrup and things with sugar are equally as sugary. Notice, after reading the NY Times link, I didn't say 'bad' or 'indulgent' or 'sinful' -- food shouldn't have moral implications. Think about all the advertisements you see (right now I'm picturing the ones for the sugar free Jello pudding--it tastes good, yes...but what's in it anyways?--that place their product as morally superior to 'sinful' cheesecake/rich desserts, etc.). Now, realize how crazy it is to consider food on a moral level!
3) My sister made me feel better last night, so here's another eerily relevant one...http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/26/health/26essay.html?ref=views
4) And this one hits close to home too because I am seriously considering putting myself on a crackberry diet...http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/16/health/research/16behavior.html?ref=health What do you guys think? How do you decide if you're spending too much time texting or on your Blackberry? I like the idea of not, I like the idea of giving up facebook, and I like the idea of having face to face encounters. I don't like the idea of not being able to let my friends know when something funny or bad happens, I don't like the idea of not being able to talk to the people I love 20 times a day if I want to, I don't like the idea of losing touch with out of town friends. It's a tough balance, I suppose, and something we all have to figure out for ourselves! I know that if one more person ploughs into me on the bridge because they're too busy texting to look up and see where they're going, shit might hit the fan!
...that's all for now folks! Amazing the things you find if you poke around the NY Times site!
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Real Food Now
So you may or may not have seen that I am bailing (or backing out gracefully) from the Foods and Nutrition program that I was so excited to get into this year. I have not been enjoying myself in the classes, even though I have met a lot of wonderful girls who I know are going to make great dietitians when all is said and done! Being in a program that I thought was a passion (but that actually crosses the line to an obsession) is counterproductive for me -- despite the fact that I am confident that I could make it through the program and become an RD who has struggled with food issues, I am not so certain that doing that is what I want to do. Of all the things I can do with my life, do I really want to spend it in such a potentially triggering situation? Do I really want to limit myself to something just because it's what I've started? ...the answer to these questions is NO. I am willing to admit that even though I don't know what else to do with my life, I am not willing to stay in something just because. I am also at a point where I can admit I made a boo boo in transferring into the program, but where I also give it credit: had I not been so immersed in it and actually tried it out, things might not have escalated and I might not have realized how badly I needed to address my issues AND if I had not tried it, I might have always wondered what could have been.
All of this is more of a diary entry than a blog post, but at any rate, here's what was interesting for me today--and it comes from a lecture, believe it or not!
Go this link: www.realfoodnow.org and WATCH THE VIDEO. These are the kinds of foods and nutrition things that I am passionate about and that I can see myself working in in the future. Helping people get past the fat grams and what's healthy vs. unhealthy debates and to the bigger picture. It's all cheesy, but thinking about sustainability is serious and is important! I am not going to ask you (or myself) to give up things like salad in February just because it's not local, but I am going to consider the implications that my choices (not just food, but everything) have on the bigger picture. I was really interested in the 100 Mile Diet when it first came out as a book, then when it caught on and became a TV series, I was even more interested. http://www.amazon.ca/100-Mile-Diet-Year-Local-Eating/dp/0679314822 and http://100mile.foodtv.ca/ (check it out!)
Another interesting topic discussed (very briefly) today in class was the idea of using regional or seasonal versions of the Food Guide instead of the standard one we have now. I never would have thought of it, but as soon as the idea was presented, it made so much sense! How can people in the Northwest Territories and people in the GTA expect to eat the same, realistically? There has to be a healthy way to adapt the Food Guide to the regions and doing so will enable people to actually follow the recommendations. To be honest, it seems to me like we need to return to a simpler way of eating: people in the Northwest Territories managed before they had a guide to tell them what to eat. They also managed before there were fresh fruits and vegetables shipped to them year-round.
Whatdya guys think? Should we have seasonal, regional guides? Do you think Western and the Real Food Now campaign would work together? Or do you associate eating local with a long, boring winter of hearty borscht? Lemme know!
All of this is more of a diary entry than a blog post, but at any rate, here's what was interesting for me today--and it comes from a lecture, believe it or not!
Go this link: www.realfoodnow.org and WATCH THE VIDEO. These are the kinds of foods and nutrition things that I am passionate about and that I can see myself working in in the future. Helping people get past the fat grams and what's healthy vs. unhealthy debates and to the bigger picture. It's all cheesy, but thinking about sustainability is serious and is important! I am not going to ask you (or myself) to give up things like salad in February just because it's not local, but I am going to consider the implications that my choices (not just food, but everything) have on the bigger picture. I was really interested in the 100 Mile Diet when it first came out as a book, then when it caught on and became a TV series, I was even more interested. http://www.amazon.ca/100-Mile-Diet-Year-Local-Eating/dp/0679314822 and http://100mile.foodtv.ca/ (check it out!)
Another interesting topic discussed (very briefly) today in class was the idea of using regional or seasonal versions of the Food Guide instead of the standard one we have now. I never would have thought of it, but as soon as the idea was presented, it made so much sense! How can people in the Northwest Territories and people in the GTA expect to eat the same, realistically? There has to be a healthy way to adapt the Food Guide to the regions and doing so will enable people to actually follow the recommendations. To be honest, it seems to me like we need to return to a simpler way of eating: people in the Northwest Territories managed before they had a guide to tell them what to eat. They also managed before there were fresh fruits and vegetables shipped to them year-round.
Whatdya guys think? Should we have seasonal, regional guides? Do you think Western and the Real Food Now campaign would work together? Or do you associate eating local with a long, boring winter of hearty borscht? Lemme know!
Monday, November 8, 2010
More Crazies
This is on a similar vein to my last post. Watch this:
(Or don't, and read on)...
These shoes kill me: Scalers -- sneakers with mini electronic sensors. All you have to do is stand still for a minute so that the shoes will tell you your weight. At any time during the day. Seriously? Because we're not weight obsessed enough as it is...
I decided to look at how expensive these bad boys are, so I ended up at their website:
PLEASE go look at it. There's a picture of a blonde in a bathing suit bottom with a t-shirt that says "Scalers shoes did this to me!" Ummm, did what to you? Put you on the beach in an ugly t shirt that makes you look like an idiot?
They market them to people who maybe are rushed after their workout and need to know how much they weigh. Or to athletes who need to know if they'll make weight (and that topic is a WHOLE different blog post in itself). Or to people who are too self conscious to get on a scale in a public place. Um, hi, so wearing the shoes with the readout right on them won't broadcast it to the rest of the room or something? Or point out the fact that you're insecure enough to need to know your weight at any given time? Maybe to just let the world know that your worth is based on an arbitrary number?
Okay, I'm getting a tad bit fired up. Before it gets out of hand, I think I'll just stop. Last thing...I don't want to forget to mention, they're ugly ugly ugly!
BOO! 2 THUMBS DOWN FOR SCALERS!
(Or don't, and read on)...
These shoes kill me: Scalers -- sneakers with mini electronic sensors. All you have to do is stand still for a minute so that the shoes will tell you your weight. At any time during the day. Seriously? Because we're not weight obsessed enough as it is...
I decided to look at how expensive these bad boys are, so I ended up at their website:
PLEASE go look at it. There's a picture of a blonde in a bathing suit bottom with a t-shirt that says "Scalers shoes did this to me!" Ummm, did what to you? Put you on the beach in an ugly t shirt that makes you look like an idiot?
They market them to people who maybe are rushed after their workout and need to know how much they weigh. Or to athletes who need to know if they'll make weight (and that topic is a WHOLE different blog post in itself). Or to people who are too self conscious to get on a scale in a public place. Um, hi, so wearing the shoes with the readout right on them won't broadcast it to the rest of the room or something? Or point out the fact that you're insecure enough to need to know your weight at any given time? Maybe to just let the world know that your worth is based on an arbitrary number?
Okay, I'm getting a tad bit fired up. Before it gets out of hand, I think I'll just stop. Last thing...I don't want to forget to mention, they're ugly ugly ugly!
BOO! 2 THUMBS DOWN FOR SCALERS!
Locker Room Lunatics
I think you could write an entire book based on the things you overhear people talking about. At Starbucks, in line at the grocery store, on airplanes -- the conversations you hear are crazy! Some of the funniest ones I've heard are in the locker room. There's something about being sweaty and half naked that makes women really open up to each other, apparently!
Anyways, on Friday morning, I was in the locker room after a particularly awesome spin class. I was eavesdropping (or couldn't help but overhear the women who were yelling across the big women's changeroom at the Athletic Club). I had spoken to one of the chit-chatters last week, making the usual small talk about the gym and how tough it is to get there in the morning when it's freezing. She complained a little about how she has a lot of weight to lose (she looked like a pretty average middle-aged woman to me). We went our seperate ways. This time, though, she was opening up a lot more than she had to me!
"I've lost 16 pounds in three weeks!" (Already, I'm thinking OH NO here we go again.)
"How?" chimes in the other lady, who is a smaller, also middle-aged woman.
"This great new diet. It's called the pee aye ell eee oh, Paleo, diet. You eat like a cave man!" (I'm not kidding. She spelled it out slowly, she said that you eat like a cave man. Now I've heard of the diet before but I generally think of young, athletes or really eager health nuts trying it out. I also see the merits in eating more whole foods.)
The smaller woman was impressed and started to open up about her stubborn last five pounds. She never really said why she needed to lose them, she just made it very clear that it was necessary! She did, however, tell her locker room buddy that she didn't know what else she could possibly give up. She gave the details of her own diet, pointing out the things that she does eat--fish, salads, chicken, black tea, and vegetables--but more importantly, lamenting about the things that she doesn't--rice, potatoes, pasta, bread, sweets, cheese, and milk, among other things. But oh, she pointed out, "I let myself have yogurt every other day." (Good thing, I'm thinking, you need some Calcium woman!).
The cavewoman was pretty disinterested and shifted the conversation back to her own meal plan. She basically talked to herself and came to the conclusion that she must have been lactose intolerant, all kind of suggesting that the yogurt every other day might be an issue. (At this point, I am literally biting my tongue because I wanted to ask if these women were taking multivitamins?)
Multivitamins and worrying about their bones wasn't the only source of my anxiety. I wanted to tell them that they were letting me down--I was kind of hoping that 30 years from now, being okay with my body and finding better things to talk about in the locker room would come easy. Maybe I'm naive, but I think that five pounds isn't worth eating the same 7 foods every day, waking up at the same time every day so that you can religiously walk on the same treadmill and complain about the same five pounds over and over and over again. Seems depressing, doesn't it?
While I'm not saying that the Paleo diet doesn't have its merits: I'm all for eating more whole foods (Jillian's rule: If it didn't come from the ground or have a mother, think twice before you eat it.) but I am also all for living in balance and keeping moderation in mind. Eating like our grandparents is one thing, but eating like our ancient ancestors is another. No grains. No dairy. That means no cheese. No ice cream. No whole grain bread. No oatmeal. No LOTS of healthy things. Also, to me, no flexibility. No fun.
Rather than letting these ladies get me down, I decided that I would use them as an example of what I NEVER WANT TO LET MYSELF BECOME. Maybe I've been there before, eating the same things over and over and over again because they're 'safe'. In fact, I have been there and I have missed out on a lot of things because I've been concerned about what I would eat or when I would exercise. But hearing other people discuss it makes me realize just how easy it is to get caught up in our beliefs and to let them dictate our lives in ways that are simply unhealthy.
This isn't meant to be a post that excuses laziness or gluttony: I'm a fitness instructor, cyclist, and I love to move. But you don't need an excuse to sit around and you don't need a reason (or weight to lose) to exercise. Our bodies are meant to move. They're also meant to tell us when we're hungry and to tell us what we're hungry for. As soon as we start ignoring them, that's when our weight can become an issue. Worrying about the outcome--the number on the scale, your pants size, etc.--is backwards. Worry instead about what you can do: nourish your body with foods, treat it right with exercise. This is what I like because it leaves room for ice cream, mornings where the snooze button wins, quinoa, and half marathons alike.
What do you guys think?
Anyways, on Friday morning, I was in the locker room after a particularly awesome spin class. I was eavesdropping (or couldn't help but overhear the women who were yelling across the big women's changeroom at the Athletic Club). I had spoken to one of the chit-chatters last week, making the usual small talk about the gym and how tough it is to get there in the morning when it's freezing. She complained a little about how she has a lot of weight to lose (she looked like a pretty average middle-aged woman to me). We went our seperate ways. This time, though, she was opening up a lot more than she had to me!
"I've lost 16 pounds in three weeks!" (Already, I'm thinking OH NO here we go again.)
"How?" chimes in the other lady, who is a smaller, also middle-aged woman.
"This great new diet. It's called the pee aye ell eee oh, Paleo, diet. You eat like a cave man!" (I'm not kidding. She spelled it out slowly, she said that you eat like a cave man. Now I've heard of the diet before but I generally think of young, athletes or really eager health nuts trying it out. I also see the merits in eating more whole foods.)
The smaller woman was impressed and started to open up about her stubborn last five pounds. She never really said why she needed to lose them, she just made it very clear that it was necessary! She did, however, tell her locker room buddy that she didn't know what else she could possibly give up. She gave the details of her own diet, pointing out the things that she does eat--fish, salads, chicken, black tea, and vegetables--but more importantly, lamenting about the things that she doesn't--rice, potatoes, pasta, bread, sweets, cheese, and milk, among other things. But oh, she pointed out, "I let myself have yogurt every other day." (Good thing, I'm thinking, you need some Calcium woman!).
The cavewoman was pretty disinterested and shifted the conversation back to her own meal plan. She basically talked to herself and came to the conclusion that she must have been lactose intolerant, all kind of suggesting that the yogurt every other day might be an issue. (At this point, I am literally biting my tongue because I wanted to ask if these women were taking multivitamins?)
Multivitamins and worrying about their bones wasn't the only source of my anxiety. I wanted to tell them that they were letting me down--I was kind of hoping that 30 years from now, being okay with my body and finding better things to talk about in the locker room would come easy. Maybe I'm naive, but I think that five pounds isn't worth eating the same 7 foods every day, waking up at the same time every day so that you can religiously walk on the same treadmill and complain about the same five pounds over and over and over again. Seems depressing, doesn't it?
While I'm not saying that the Paleo diet doesn't have its merits: I'm all for eating more whole foods (Jillian's rule: If it didn't come from the ground or have a mother, think twice before you eat it.) but I am also all for living in balance and keeping moderation in mind. Eating like our grandparents is one thing, but eating like our ancient ancestors is another. No grains. No dairy. That means no cheese. No ice cream. No whole grain bread. No oatmeal. No LOTS of healthy things. Also, to me, no flexibility. No fun.
Rather than letting these ladies get me down, I decided that I would use them as an example of what I NEVER WANT TO LET MYSELF BECOME. Maybe I've been there before, eating the same things over and over and over again because they're 'safe'. In fact, I have been there and I have missed out on a lot of things because I've been concerned about what I would eat or when I would exercise. But hearing other people discuss it makes me realize just how easy it is to get caught up in our beliefs and to let them dictate our lives in ways that are simply unhealthy.
This isn't meant to be a post that excuses laziness or gluttony: I'm a fitness instructor, cyclist, and I love to move. But you don't need an excuse to sit around and you don't need a reason (or weight to lose) to exercise. Our bodies are meant to move. They're also meant to tell us when we're hungry and to tell us what we're hungry for. As soon as we start ignoring them, that's when our weight can become an issue. Worrying about the outcome--the number on the scale, your pants size, etc.--is backwards. Worry instead about what you can do: nourish your body with foods, treat it right with exercise. This is what I like because it leaves room for ice cream, mornings where the snooze button wins, quinoa, and half marathons alike.
What do you guys think?
Monday, November 1, 2010
Candy Creativity
Leftover Halloween Candy?
If in the midst of fun size candy bars galore you managed to hold yourself back this weekend or if perhaps you didn’t get as many trick or treaters as you anticipated, you’re probably wondering what to do with your extra Halloween candy. Instead of snarfing it all before it gets stale, here are some other ideas you might like (and if all else fails, you’re more than welcome to send it my way!)...
Make your own Marble Slab.
Are you suddenly recognizing the world of possibilities here? Maybe your deep freezer has started glowing with possibilities? Open up the chocolate bars and chop them into small chunks that you can put in individual Ziploc bags before you throw them in the freezer. Watch for sales on ice cream and frozen yogurt and let the flavour possibilities unfold...
Use those little caramels for something that actually tastes good.You know the ones I mean. They taste more like plastic than anything, but they’re cheap and you always seem to end up with tons of them! Turns out they’re a KEY ingredient in one of the most delicious cakes I’ve ever devoured in a single sitting (that’s only a mild exaggeration): http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,186,145162-236193,00.html isn’t my recipe but looks pretty close to the one I use!
Be smart with your Smarties.
Ever since nut free became so important, I have ended up with more Smarties than a person could possibly want. If you know any Canadians living in the US, send them your boxes – they don’t make them over there! Random info: Smarties in the US are those chalky little candies that Canadians call Rockets. Maybe it’s because I grew up in the states, but I really don’t like Smarties all that much! However, when you bake them into a chocolate chip cookie recipe they’re not so bad! M&Ms obviously work well here too! Like Phoebe on Friends (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3a-mDPknXI )¸I think that Nestle Tollhouse has the best recipe...http://www.verybestbaking.com/recipes/18476/Original-NESTL%C3%89-TOLL-HOUSE-Chocolate-Chip-Cookies/detail.aspx Just throw in the candy instead of (or with) the chocolate chips. And make extra for me, please!
Another delicious option: throw them into some trail mix! Take a healthy snack and make it delicious by adding chocolate to any combination of mixed nuts, dried fruit, pretzels, and cereal. Yum!
Kiss wisely.
Two things I love: peanut butter and chocolate (not just in Reese’s form). Hershey Kisses are even more delicious when they come on top of a peanut butter thumbprint cookie. I can’t think of a better vessel with which to bring the candy to my mouth! Here’s a recipe if you don’t have one for peanut butter cookies that you prefer: http://www.hersheys.com/recipes/recipes/detail.asp?id=5191 !
Turn what could’ve been a Whopper of a snack into a healthier choice.
I feel old. Malted chocolates used to be something my parents liked – an old person snack. Now, I love the darn things. Rather than eat too many as a snack on their own, why not crush them up and throw them on top of a sugar free (or regular) pudding cup?
Coffee and chocolate are not food groups, but they should be.
Coffee Crisp bars are basically a fusion of two things that keep me going on a daily basis. When they come together and wrapped in a bright yellow package, I can’t help but be happy! Again, instead of eating so many that I feel sick as a snack on their own, taking one or two and cutting them up before tossing them in with vanilla or cafe latte or mocha yogurt does the trick for me! Protein, chocolate, coffee, calcium...I like what I’m seeing here (and it’s a healthy snack)!
Get crafty.
Remember the cool jewellery people were making out of Starburst wrappers a few years ago? Why not get creative – you’ll feel less guilty tossing out the candies (or eating them) if you need the wrappers for your craft! If the final product isn’t really your style, think of a cousin, friend, or little sibling who’d get a kick out of your creation and save it to give to them at Christmas time! http://www.ehow.com/how_6160340_directions-make-starburst-wrapper-necklaces.html
No lab coat or goggles required.If you’re like me, labs = danger. I worry sometimes that the chemistry building at UWO is going to see its last day when they hand me a Bunsen burner. Experiments with candy are a much safer bet for folks like me! This is nerdy but cool: if you soak Skittles, apparently the S floats to the top of the water! Check out this site for some other cool ideas: http://www.candyexperiments.com/
Donate it.
There are plenty of places that will take your candy. People even ship it in care packages (the kinds that won’t melt—think gummies, candy corn, etc.) to people overseas or to the military!
I’m sorry for taking away your excuse to eat 2 pounds of Snickers tonight but you’ll thank me later! Enjoy!
If in the midst of fun size candy bars galore you managed to hold yourself back this weekend or if perhaps you didn’t get as many trick or treaters as you anticipated, you’re probably wondering what to do with your extra Halloween candy. Instead of snarfing it all before it gets stale, here are some other ideas you might like (and if all else fails, you’re more than welcome to send it my way!)...
Make your own Marble Slab.
Are you suddenly recognizing the world of possibilities here? Maybe your deep freezer has started glowing with possibilities? Open up the chocolate bars and chop them into small chunks that you can put in individual Ziploc bags before you throw them in the freezer. Watch for sales on ice cream and frozen yogurt and let the flavour possibilities unfold...
Use those little caramels for something that actually tastes good.You know the ones I mean. They taste more like plastic than anything, but they’re cheap and you always seem to end up with tons of them! Turns out they’re a KEY ingredient in one of the most delicious cakes I’ve ever devoured in a single sitting (that’s only a mild exaggeration): http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,186,145162-236193,00.html isn’t my recipe but looks pretty close to the one I use!
Be smart with your Smarties.
Ever since nut free became so important, I have ended up with more Smarties than a person could possibly want. If you know any Canadians living in the US, send them your boxes – they don’t make them over there! Random info: Smarties in the US are those chalky little candies that Canadians call Rockets. Maybe it’s because I grew up in the states, but I really don’t like Smarties all that much! However, when you bake them into a chocolate chip cookie recipe they’re not so bad! M&Ms obviously work well here too! Like Phoebe on Friends (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3a-mDPknXI )¸I think that Nestle Tollhouse has the best recipe...http://www.verybestbaking.com/recipes/18476/Original-NESTL%C3%89-TOLL-HOUSE-Chocolate-Chip-Cookies/detail.aspx Just throw in the candy instead of (or with) the chocolate chips. And make extra for me, please!
Another delicious option: throw them into some trail mix! Take a healthy snack and make it delicious by adding chocolate to any combination of mixed nuts, dried fruit, pretzels, and cereal. Yum!
Kiss wisely.
Two things I love: peanut butter and chocolate (not just in Reese’s form). Hershey Kisses are even more delicious when they come on top of a peanut butter thumbprint cookie. I can’t think of a better vessel with which to bring the candy to my mouth! Here’s a recipe if you don’t have one for peanut butter cookies that you prefer: http://www.hersheys.com/recipes/recipes/detail.asp?id=5191 !
Turn what could’ve been a Whopper of a snack into a healthier choice.
I feel old. Malted chocolates used to be something my parents liked – an old person snack. Now, I love the darn things. Rather than eat too many as a snack on their own, why not crush them up and throw them on top of a sugar free (or regular) pudding cup?
Coffee and chocolate are not food groups, but they should be.
Coffee Crisp bars are basically a fusion of two things that keep me going on a daily basis. When they come together and wrapped in a bright yellow package, I can’t help but be happy! Again, instead of eating so many that I feel sick as a snack on their own, taking one or two and cutting them up before tossing them in with vanilla or cafe latte or mocha yogurt does the trick for me! Protein, chocolate, coffee, calcium...I like what I’m seeing here (and it’s a healthy snack)!
Get crafty.
Remember the cool jewellery people were making out of Starburst wrappers a few years ago? Why not get creative – you’ll feel less guilty tossing out the candies (or eating them) if you need the wrappers for your craft! If the final product isn’t really your style, think of a cousin, friend, or little sibling who’d get a kick out of your creation and save it to give to them at Christmas time! http://www.ehow.com/how_6160340_directions-make-starburst-wrapper-necklaces.html
No lab coat or goggles required.If you’re like me, labs = danger. I worry sometimes that the chemistry building at UWO is going to see its last day when they hand me a Bunsen burner. Experiments with candy are a much safer bet for folks like me! This is nerdy but cool: if you soak Skittles, apparently the S floats to the top of the water! Check out this site for some other cool ideas: http://www.candyexperiments.com/
Donate it.
There are plenty of places that will take your candy. People even ship it in care packages (the kinds that won’t melt—think gummies, candy corn, etc.) to people overseas or to the military!
I’m sorry for taking away your excuse to eat 2 pounds of Snickers tonight but you’ll thank me later! Enjoy!
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