Garlic Mashed Cauliflower

1 medium head cauliflower, washed and cut into chunks, or 1 pound frozen cauliflower
1 clove garlic
1 to 2 teaspoons extra virgin coconut oil, olive oil, or non-hydrogenated margarine (like Olivio or Smart Balance)
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper

Cook cauliflower in 1 inch water until tender (10 minutes for frozen, 20-25 for fresh). Add cauliflower and remaining ingredients to a food processor and process until smooth and creamy, scraping the sides as needed.

Zucchini Pasta

Wash and peel zucchini. Method 1: grate zucchini with large holed cheese grater into long strips, stopping when you get to the seed core. Drain on paper towels 30 to 60 minutes before topping. Method 2: using vegetable peeler or mandarin slicer slice off thin wide strips, again stopping before you reach the seed core. Stack the slices 4 or 5 thick and cut into thin ribbons of 1/8" to 1/4" inch wide. Drain of paper towels if necessary for 30 to 60 minutes before serving. Zucchini can also be briefly cooked in microwave for 15 to 30 seconds to warm it slightly before adding sauce. A cup of raw zucchini has only 42 calories, while a cup of pasta has about 200 and can be substituted for any recipe calling for fresh pasta.

Swiss Chard with Balsamic Vinegar Reduction

Swiss Chard is one of the most nutritious vegetables around. It is colorful and very easy to grow in your home garden. This recipe is delicious and can be used with any dark green vegetable: kale, spinach, collards, etc.

1 pound Swiss Chard, (1-2 bunches) washed and cut into ribbons about 1/2 wide.
1 large shallot sliced thin
1 clove garlic
2 TSP olive oil
2 TBSP pine nuts
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper

In a non-stick pan sprayed with non-stick oil, over medium heat saute pine nuts until just toasted, remove from pan. Add olive oil, shallot and garlic, saute for a minute or two. Add the chard in handfuls at a time, adding more as it wilts. Cook until wilted and tender, remove from pan (or push to the side). Add the balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper, bring to a boil, then simmer until the balsamic vinegar has thickened and turned a bit syrupy. Return the chard and pine nuts to the pan and stir until heated through.

To modify this recipe to make the greens less bitter, which can be useful if you are new to eating the more bitter dark greens, boil them briefly in hot water instead of sauteing the greens in the pan. Make sure to drain them well  before adding to the balsamic vinegar. You can also add a teaspoon of sweetener to the balsamic vinegar while it's simmering.

Makes 4 servings Calories: 85, Protein: 3 grams, Fat: 5 grams, Carbohydrate: 8 grams, Fiber: 2 grams
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Easy and Delicious Baked Butternut Squash

• Wash and peel butternut squash. 
• Heat oven to 425 degrees. 
• Slice squash in half lengthwise and discard seeds. 
• Dice into 1/2" cubes.
• In a mixing bowl, add squash, and drizzle 1-3 tsp olive oil over it. 
• Sprinkle salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder to taste (about 1/4 tsp each for a medium squash). Spread squash in a single layer on a cookie sheet or 9 x 13 baking dish that has been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.
• Place in oven, stir at 20 minutes and sprinkle lightly with grated Parmesan cheese. 
• Bake for 10-20 minutes more until some pieces show a few browned edges. 

Leftovers are delicious on a tossed salad; I often make extra just for that purpose.

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New Workout Focus Update

Two months since I started taking twice weekly boot-camp workout sessions with Mac James at Future of Fitness. And, well, I'm addicted. I love the challenge and constantly changing workouts! Not much to report in the way of measurable body changes, but then I was pretty fit to start out with and didn't expect much change in weight or body dimensions. But I have gained quite a bit in positive benefits:

• Definite increase in strength and fitness.
• Increase in enjoyability of working out--I got out of the monotonous running rut! Running is a small component of my overall fitness regime, not the primary focus. Two days a week are my run or bike only days, two days are boot-camp, another two days are a combination of strength and cardio, one of those being a 2 hour workout, and my "rest" day is light activity such as stretching and walking. I also do toning exercises and foam rolling as part of my daily workouts. Instead of running 30+ miles a week, I now only run a total of 12-14 miles.
• Decrease in hip pain, decrease in pain in other areas of body that were due to imbalances in strength.
• Increased knowledge about mixing up my workouts to make them more whole body centric, thus lessening stresses over any one body part (or parts) day after day.
• Improved recovery from workouts since I am doing something different every day.
• More time in my day as I'm spending less time working out, but more efficiently at a higher intensity so calorie burn remains as high as longer workouts.
• Camaraderie and competitive motivation aspect from working out with others.

So what does a workout of Mac's look like? Here's Tuesday, August 30th's, called Hurricane Hangover. It was a great way to use up stored energy from being housebound by Hurricane Irene over that weekend:

5 circuits, each circuit 1 set of each exercise, with the Seal walks and abs after the last lap

• Body Weight squats: 80/64/48/32/24 total=248 
• Push-ups (toes only): 40/32/24/16/12 total=124 
• Burpees: 20/16/12/8/6 total=62 
• Run .25 mile laps: 2/1/1/1/2 total=1.75 mi 
• Seal walks 
• Abs

It felt wonderful to be able to complete a workout I know I would not been able to do two months ago and to also feel great afterwards, well except for very tired arms from the Seal Walks!

New Lessons on Maintaining Weight Loss and Exercise

I have learned a couple of valuable, though painful lessons over the past year about the role exercise plays in maintaining my weight loss. Primary, do not count on exercise to bail me out when my diet is a little less perfect!

I had heard and read advice to not count on calories burned through activity alone to lose and maintain weight, but I didn’t heed that advice and kept pushing myself to maintain a certain level of activity to keep that number on the scale in check; and, then as predicted, my body rebelled by becoming injured. Those injuries also kept me less active during the day. Since the changes weren't really that drastic, especially at first, it was easy to overlook the fact that I wasn't burning as many calories through activity as I was used to. And being the habitual creature that I am, my appetite didn't seem to notice, still thinking it had to fuel a very active person. Well you can guess the result, a slow gradual increase in my weight that just didn't want to seem to budge! Without that exercise buffer, there was simply no room for any extra calories! Now I was forced to deal with that slightly sloppy diet and sneaky calories! I have learned and accept that calories and diet come first, activity a distant second in the process on continued weight maintenance.

So how am I dealing with this? I am learning to exercise more for its many benefits rather than primarily its calorie burn. I am learning to earn extra calories by exercising first, not by eating and then expecting exercise to take care of them. I no longer expect that exercise buffer to be there in my diet. I am learning to accept what my true calorie balance is for weight maintenance. I have increased my servings of vegetables and gradually cut back the amount of other foods I eat at every meal to find a calorie level based on my reduced activity that would allow me to lose those unwanted pounds.  I continue to have small frequent meals space out over the day centered on quality protein and vegetables, then healthy fat and a few fruits and whole grains. There is no room for added sugar and processed foods, so they are infrequent treats. This allows me to keep my energy up eating fewer calories and also keeps hunger pangs at bay.

I also cut back on my expectations on the amount of exercise I can do, what I do, and how I do it. I entirely shifted my focus from getting as many running miles as I could fit into a week, to quality workouts that increase my strength and metabolism, but work within my current physical limits. I am learning that lots of hours of steady-state cardio isn't the best way to keep the metabolism furnace burning.  I am learning to let go of my identity as a long distance runner. I have cut back my running to short segments totally less than 10 miles a week and when I do run I am using the Galloway run-walk-run method. It is working really well and I love it! I have replaced some of that time running with strength training, short segments of intense cross training, and active rest such as walking and stretching. The freedom from completing a certain number of miles a week allows me to go back to basics, to slow down, focus on perfect form in all my activities to help keep future injuries at bay.  

Also, on the occasion of my birthday a few weeks ago, I took the plunge and began taking semi-private sessions with my trainer Mac James at his facility Future of Fitness. These are a combo of intense cardio and weight training compacted into an hour and are challenging my body in a whole new way. I love the new challenges his workouts give me as well as the increase in strength! The joy I felt of completing a distance goal has been replaced with just the sense of accomplishment of just completing one of Mac's workouts! Not to mention the camaraderie of working out with someone other than myself.

The excitement I feel with becoming more balanced physically and nutritionally makes the hard lessons learned worth it. Stay tuned to my blog as I post updates on how this new focus is progressing along.

Recommitting to a healthy diet

Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.
Thomas A. Edison 

Do successful weight losers ever get off track and gain weight? You bet they do! My weight fluctuates all the time; it's just part of life. The National Weight Control Registry has found that among successful maintainers we closely monitor our weight and when we find it up a few pounds we take action quickly to use the skills and tools we have learned to stop any further gain and return to our maintenance weight. Is it easy to do? NO! I have found as I age my body's metabolism also changes and I must always try new things and strategies to outsmart those fat cells, such as changing my activity up or tweaking my diet. I recommit every day and every meal to continue the habits of a healthy lifestyle. Perhaps the hardest part of that process is stepping off the path where we fall into old unhealthy habits and finding the motivation to get back on the path of establishing newer healthier ones. I believe weight loss and maintenance should be called "practice" because there is no perfection with it, it is a constantly evolving learning process!

There can be a lot of anger and guilt with the realization that you have become derailed. What is important is that you don't beat yourself up over it! What's done is done--so it happened, so you gained a few pounds, so you ate something that wasn't on your eating plan--all is not lost!! Too often the brain can form an all or nothing attitude, "I ate a few cookies, by diet's blown, so I might as well eat the whole bag!" It doesn't have to be that way. Often it's not the one indiscretion that causes weight loss failure, it's the behavior that comes afterward where a few extra calories can become a few extra pounds because of the negative self-talk we tell ourselves and then try to alleviate those feelings with even more food.

Take it one meal/one day at a time. Be here in the present, don't dwell on the past or fret about the future, focus on your next meal, make it healthy. Bring to mind your successes, you did it once--you can do it again! Eat that healthy meal and relish how good you feel doing something good for your body!

Why someone gets derailed off their healthy eating goals can be as varied and individual as the person themself. What is it that led you away from your goal? Stress? Emotional hunger? Life just getting in the way? Does your environment support your goals? Refrigerator and pantry full of healthy and easy to make foods? What do you need to change? What can you do differently? 

Perhaps you need to go back to the reasons why you made your goal in the first place. Does it still fit how you feel now? Perhaps you went on a diet for a special occasion and that occasion has passed. Now what? Instead of making a goal for the next special occasion choose some reason that matters to you down to your core. For me, I choose to follow a healthy lifestyle because I want to be around for my family for a long time in an active and healthy way. I know how I feel healthy and I know how I felt overweight and sick and those thoughts and goals keep me focused and continually eating healthy and working out even though I don't always want to. Make sure your goals are realistic and attainable.

Now might be a good time to try a new exercise class or activity, or make a new fitness goal. Changing up my workouts by trying new activities, making the ones I do more intense (or easier!) helps keep me from getting bored or overworked and the new challenge inspires and motivates me.

Turn to your support system. It's easy to be part of a group when you are succeeding, but it's the times you aren't that you need support the most. Don't be afraid or embarrassed to ask for help.

Put yourself first and believe you can do it! Then go something that makes you feel good that doesn't involve food.

Runners Roudtable 114 - Crosstraining Can Be Fun

Tired of yet another boring workout on the bike trainer or elliptical machine? Ever wondered what Cross Fit is, what is a TRX, what goes on in those hot yoga classes, and is Pole Dancing a legitimate workout? You'll get some answers to these questions and more when you listen in to our chat from Wednesday, February 9, 2011 with several runners who supplement their running with a variety of fun activities. We discussed what cross training and supplemental training are, why you should consider it it, and what activities you can add to your running. Hosted by Margaret Suddeth (Flutter-Bys), with Ann Brennan (Ann's Running Commentary), Tim Doiron (ICannotSitStill), and Nik Wong (4 Feet Running). Joining them will be Joe Garland (RunWestchester), who purports not to cross-train.

[Click Here to Listen to RRT-114]

• Winter Cross Training Alternatives (by RRT-host Julie Threlkeld in Running Times)
• TRX
• CrossFit

How To Find Real Food At The Supermarket

I just had to share this. What a humorous way to illustrate what is and isn't real food.

How To Find Real Food At The Supermarket [Flowchart] | Healthy Eating Tips - Upgrade Your Healthstyle | Summer Tomato

The Runners Round Table: RRT 109: Vegan Running

Have you ever wondered what veganism is? Why people decide to become vegan? How it influences health, fitness and running? If so, this is the show for you! Come along with us as we discuss the ins and outs of being vegan and an endurance athlete. We will discuss what veganism is, how it applies to health and the advantages and disadvantages of this lifestyle.

Show hosts include well known podcasters Megan (Run Vegan Run), Gordon (This Running Life) and Jake (Run Like Health) as well as bloggers Margaret (Flutter-bys) and Amanda (ChemE Runner).

RRT - 109 Vegan Running Podcast 

Quorn?

You might have seen Quorn among the boxed vegetarian/vegan foods in the grocery store freezer. Did you know it is a meat-oid substance made from a fungus that can cause severe allergic reactions? Manufacturers claim it is "mushroom based". Well it is a fungus, but it is not made from mushrooms. To read more about this potentially troublesome engineered food go to the link below:

Nestle Urged Not To Buy Chicken-Flavored Fungus Company Quorn ~ Newsroom ~ News from CSPI ~ Center for Science in the Public Interest

The Runners Round Table: RRT 107: Nutrition Discussion with Nancy Clark: Dec. 1st at 5 PM EST

Tune in live or download the episode afterward!

The Runners Round Table: RRT 107: Nutrition Discussion with Nancy Clark: Dec 1st at 5PM EST: "What are the key elements of appropriate nutrition for active runners and athletes? Recognizing that many runners' prime motivation is their desire to maintain or lose weight, how do they do so without impairing their health or their athletic ability? What are the key guidelines in properly tapering before a race? Do runners' nutritional requirements vary by gender, with the extent of exertion and/or age? During a race how should a runner optimally fuel and hydrate?

To discuss some of these nutrition-related questions, and to ask your own questions through Talkshoe.com's chat facility, join us on Wednesday, December 1st at 5 PM EST. This episode of the Runners Roundtable will be hosted by Mark Ulrich, Toni Harvey, Colin Hayes, Craig Macfarlane and Margaret Suddeth, and will feature special guest Nancy Clark, internationally known sports nutritionist and author.

So, plan to join the Runners Roundtable for another interesting episode"

Thanksgiving Feast of Gratitude

I have mixed feelings about Thanksgiving. I love focusing on being thankful for all the blessings I have in my life, but creating a day whose focus seems to be to stuff yourself with as much food as you can just does not appeal to me. More and more it seems to me that Thanksgiving kicks off a season of gluttony, holiday parties, treats and goodies that does not end until New Year's, when the mood changes to atonement and guilt, and undoing all the abuses done to the poor body in the previous 6 weeks. I am grateful to live in a society where food is abundant. But when many go to bed hungry, I feel fortunate that I am able to make the choice to decide what to put into my mouth. My goal is to honor that blessing by treating my body with respect and feeding it healthy foods in only the amounts it requires.

The greatest joy for me of this season is to celebrate the non-food delights of the holidays, such as visiting with family and friends, and focusing on the conversation and not what's on the buffet table. My most treasured Thanksgiving heirloom is a tablecloth I started about 6 years ago. I purchased a plain white tablecloth and a package of permanent markers and invited all those sharing the holiday with me that day to write on the tablecloth what they were most thankful for. It is wonderful each year to pull it out, relive the previous years' blessings and record the new year's! I also enjoy taking a family walk on Thanksgiving Day. The crisp leaves underfoot and chilly air invigorate me as I celebrate the transition between fall and winter.

As for food, I try to limit myself to something that really IS only available at this time of year, such a fresh fall and winter squash and sweet frost-kissed kale and root vegetables. My ideal Thanksgiving feast is not one of abundance of food, but of a few dishes exquisitely made with quality healthy ingredients with lots of love and joy and celebrate the fall season. This year it will be my husband, two sons and I around the table. The plan is for each of us to focus on one dish to make and enjoy each others' company in the kitchen as we prepare and eat our meal. It won't be too long before my sons are on their own so this time together is very precious to me.

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you!

Clean Eating #3: Transitioning

When transitioning to a "cleaner" diet, one that minimizes processed foods and centers around whole foods, start by making a list and prioritize the changes you want to make. Go slowly, maybe one new change a week. You want to make changes that you can sustain, and that don't feel depriving or painful. Be compassionate with yourself, and only make the changes you feel comfortable making. Have fun, experiment! Don't worry about getting it right, the only goal is to to feel healthier. Here are some suggested was to start:

1. Eat breakfast every morning and eat it at home. 

2. Find and swap what you are already eating with cleaner versions. If you've been reading labels you probably have a good idea of products that are full of preservatives and additives. Compare ingredients on a variety of products, you may be able to find alternatives with less sugar and less additives that taste the same or even better than what you are currently using.  Buy organic products, produce, dairy and meats. Certified organic foods do not contain artificial ingredients or preservatives.

3. Transition to whole grains. If you are currently eat white bread, to make the step up to 100% whole grains easier, try eating grains that include a portion of whole grains and white, such as a multi-grain variety or one that includes whole wheat or other grain. Whole grain blends of pasta are another way to transition. You can even mix in a little brown rice to white. Your taste buds will adapt more easily to the taste of whole grains, and you may soon find yourself preferring them. (see my post dated 10/30/10 for more about whole grains).

4. Add more whole fruits and vegetables to your diet: 

• Swap processed packaged snacks for healthy fruits and nuts. Take snacks from home when you go out so if you find yourself hungry you won't be tempted to get something from the vending machine. Apples are extremely portable. I wash one and stick it in a baggie and take it with me. Add a small handful of nuts as well for a complete and filling nutritious snack! I don't buy energy bars (have you read the ingredient lists on some of those?) Another option is to take along some trail mix, or make your own from nuts and dried fruit.

• Add a serving of veggies to each of your meals. Keep bags of frozen vegetables in your freezer to add to casseroles, omelets, stir fries, pasta sauces, and canned soups. 

• Each week try one new fruit or vegetable or whole grain.

• Shop at a farmer's market; all those whole foods can sure be hard to resist! Nothing beats fresh produce in season just picked from the farm! It's also great to meet and talk to the farmers directly. If you are unsure of how to prepare a new food, or even variety of fruit and vegetable you haven't seen before, just ask them. There's something also to be said seeing many people buying a vegetable you haven't tried before, always makes me wonder what I'm missing out on!
  

• Make smoothies with frozen fruit with low-fat milk, low-fat yogurt or tofu.

• Put fruit in plain sight in your kitchen. The easier it is to see, the more you will reach for it.  

• Keep a container of washed and ready to eat finger fruits and vegetables in the refrigerator and reach for them first when you are hungry and want a snack. I chop up a bunch of vegetables at once to add to salads, they last for days in the fridge. I also buy frozen fruit in bags or cut up and freeze myself fruits such as pineapple, berries, bananas, grapes and mangoes. A bowl of low calorie frozen fruit is my favorite evening dessert!

• Top sandwiches and pizzas with sliced vegetables.  

• Demote meat and grains to the supporting role and not the main attraction in your meals. I no longer center my meals around meat and grains. Vegetables now take the starring role with only a small amount of meat and grain thrown in (if at all!). Check out Mark Bittman's books and column that focuses eating in this "minimalist" way. You might even consider going vegetarian one day a week. There's a great movement gaining speed recently called Meatless Monday, even some restaurants are joining this bandwagon.

6. Don't drink your calories. Swap fruit juice for fresh fruit, cut down on the soft drinks and other liquid candy (such as just about anything but black coffee or tea from coffee bars). Even cutting back to one every other day instead of daily is a great way to start. Include a glass of water at each of your meals. I don't go out anywhere without a refillable bottle.

7. Cook more meals at home. Eat out one meal less a week and bring your lunch to work. Prep your food ahead of time so it can be quickly prepared after or before work. When you cook, make extra to serve at another meal or to bring to work for lunch.

Links:
http://thehealthylifestyleconsultant.com/MakingtheTransitiontoWholeFoods.aspx
http://www.organic.org/home/faq 
The Food Matters Cookbook: 500 Revolutionary Recipes for Better Living

How Ultra-Processed Foods Are Killing Us - Marion Nestle - Food - The Atlantic

This is an a great article summarizing why we should all eat cleaner diets from whole foods!

How Ultra-Processed Foods Are Killing Us - Marion Nestle - Food - The Atlantic

Clean Eating #2: Getting Started

To get started to eat a cleaner diet, begin by reading the labels not only in your own food pantry, but also when shopping to acquaint yourself about what is actually in your food. Once you have a good idea of what you are currently eating you can decide what you want to change. When reading labels I look for:

Nutrient content claims. I use this to quickly identify healthier options, such as "no added sugar", "100 percent Natural", "Whole Grain." While I use them to find healthier foods, I always check the rest of the label to see if their claims are accurate and if it meets my standard of healthy.

Ingredient List: Not only will you want to look at the nutritional breakdown of the product and what the portion size is, but you will want to pay particular attention to the ingredients list as well. First off, the fewer the ingredients the better; optimally there should only be one or two. Your goal is to get as close to the original, whole food as possible. Specific things to look for in the list include:

• Added sugar: The "sugars" listed on the nutrient fact panel of the label under "Total Carbohydrates" is the sum of all naturally occurring and added sugars in the product. Some foods such as milk, fruit and grain contain natural sugars, while helpful for managing carbohydrate intake, the listing for sugars won't  tell you much about how much of those grams of sugar are added. Until labels show the amount of these added sugars you will need to estimate how much added sugar is in the product by reading the ingredient label. Ingredients are listed in descending order by weight. Look for foods where sugar is not among the first few ingredients. Look for words ending in "ose" (suffix meaning sugar) and other names for sugar:

barley malt, beet sugar, brown sugar, buttered syrup, cane-juice crystals, cane sugar, caramel, carob syrup, confectioner's sugar, corn sugar (high-fructose corn syrup), corn syrup, corn syrup solids, corn sweeteners, crystallized cane sugar, date sugar, dextrin, dextrose, diatase, diastatic malt, erythritol*, ethyl maltol, evaporated cane juice, fructose, fruit juice, fruit juice concentrate, glucose, glucose solids, golden sugar, golden syrup, grape sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, honey, invert sugar, isomalt*, lactose, malt syrup, maltodextrin, maltinol,* maltose, mannitol*, maple syrup, molasses, raw sugar, refiner's syrup, sorbitol*, sorghum syrup, sucralose (Splenda), sucrose, sugar, syrup, turbinado sugar, and yellow sugar , xylitol* (*sugar alcohols, while low in calories, they are highly processed and while some might be "found" in whole foods, they are not natural).

• Whole grains. The FDA recommends that at least half of the grains we eat should be whole. Look for the words "whole" and/or "100% whole" before the name of the grain, such as "100% whole wheat", "100% whole grain oats." Just because the product says "whole grain" on the label does not mean it is entirely made of whole grains: it could be a blend of whole and other grains. Likewise watch for the words "whole grain blend" as this is also a combination of grains. When a package lists multigrain, wheat flour, bran, semolina, etc, these are not whole grains. Only whole grain, by FDA definition, contains the 3 main parts of the kernel of grain in the same proportions as they are found naturally (bran, germ and endosperm). The best grains to buy and eat are whole grains you need to cook before eating, such as quinoa, oatmeal (not instant), brown rice, wheat berries, whole barley and amaranth.

• Fats.  Do not choose foods that contain trans-fats. Trans fats listed on the label should be "0". But even if the label says 0, the food, by law, may still contain .5 gram per serving and still be listed as 0 trans fat, so look in the ingredient list for hidden trans fat. Any fat listed on the label as partially-hydrogenated is a trans fats. For more guidelines on trans fats see Know Your Fats (Am. Heart Assoc.). Avoiding hydrogenated oils is also preferable, as they are processed manufactured fats and saturated, the worse kind for your heart! Choose foods made with vegetable oils, such as canola and olive oil. 

•  Other food additives: learn about food additives Center for Science in the Public Interest list of food additives some are perfectly fine, while others can be downright scary!

Once you have acquainted yourself with what is in your pantry and grocery store shelves go through your pantry and toss out what you no longer want to eat. Yes food is expensive, but your health is priceless! But don't get rid of anything you aren't comfortable parting with, the best way to make lasting changes in your diet is to gradually ease into it.

Next post: tips on transitioning into a cleaner diet.

Sources:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/whole-grains/NU00204
http://www.fda.gov/Food/GuidanceComplianceRegulatoryInformation/GuidanceDocuments/FoodLabelingNutrition/ucm059088.htm
American Dietetic Association Complete Food and Nutrition Guide

Special offer on Emotional Brain Training

If you have read some of my other posts and my Weight Loss Story or talked to me in person, you have heard me mention the EBT (Emotional Brain Training) program and the latest book on the method Wired for Joy. This program and it's founder Laurel Mellin have been instrumental in helping me change my behavior and relationship with food and overcome emotional overeating. I know with all my heart that if I had not found and completed this program I would still be the overweight, unhappy person I was 6 years ago.

This program is the real deal, based on neuro and stress sciences. It took time and a lot of hard work, but the changes I made have lasted. It is the only program I have come across that directly addresses the reasons why I feel compelled to overeat.

EBT is launching a new course focusing on food addiction--the drive to overeat that defies control no matter what we try. Through October 24, 2010 you can register for this course for $200 off the regular price (more than 50% off!). If you have been thinking about trying out this method, now is a great time! 

 

With this course you can learn to identify and rewire a survival circuit that was encoded early in childhood or during stress that created a chemically-driven link between survival and food. Break that link, and the drive to overeat fades. This method is the only treatment other than weight loss surgery that has shown lasting results. It's the program that finally worked for me. For more information go to www.ebt.org

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Clean Eating #1: My Definition

In the genetic game of life I rolled a snake eyes with hereditary conditions of both high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Since a healthy diet is helpful in managing both, I researched and read about what I could do and what might work best for me. What I settled on is a way of eating best described as Clean Eating. Eating this way makes the most sense to me among a sea of nutrition debate--meat or not meat, dairy or no dairy, carbs or no carbs, etc. Not to mention all the ambiguity about what nutrients we need, how much we need and whether they are good or bad!

Simply put, clean eating to me is eating real food. Food that is not some concocted substance created in a factory. Clean eating is avoiding processed foods and all the artificial ingredients, unhealthy fats, refined grains, preservatives, chemical additives, sugars and salt they contain. It is buying foods in their raw state, or as close as possible to how they are found in nature. Clean eating is preparing at home and eating:

1. Whole grains
2. Fresh fruits and vegetables
3. Lean meat, mostly fish and poultry, minimizing red meat
4. Healthy fats such as olive, and seed oils
5. Nuts and legumes
6. Eggs and reduced fat dairy

When purchasing these foods I try to buy as much of them as I can organic. If I want a processed food, I look for those with ingredients I would keep on my own shelves (or at recognize the name!), with the fewest amount of ingredients and with the least amount of added sugar, salts and fat.

It is a habit on mine to always read labels and don't assume that if it's organic, vegetarian or vegan it's healthy. A processed food made with organic ingredients is still a processed food; as is fake cheese and meat-like products made from soy or grains (such as seitin, or gluten).  While it can be argued that eating a vegie burger is preferable to eating a hamburger made from regular ground beef. I'd rather have a burger made with very lean beef, turkey breast, or mashed beans than from soybeans over-processed into a food-oid product. The same goes for other imitation foods such as margarine, non-dairy topping, many non-fat dairy products, and most foods you can find a coupon for or listen on sale in grocery store fliers.

It is also a goal of mine to limit sugars--ALL sugars including: honey, agave nectar, maple sugar, raw and plain old white sugar, and artificial sweeteners. If sugar is listed among the first few ingredients on a packaged food product it usually goes back on the shelf. I try to satisfy my sweet tooth with fruit, eating fresh fruit for snacks and using dried fruits and juices in baked goods.

One of the best books on this eating lifestyle is
Michael Pollan's book Food Rules: an Eater's Manual.
It is a concise handbook with simple guidelines
on what to eat and what to avoid.


Am I perfect at eating this way, heck no! One of the joys of eating is breaking the rules now and then and not obsessing over them. But by striving to eat this way on a daily basis means the occasional times I don't won't impact my health and happiness.

Upcoming Post: How to get started eating clean.

Resources:
Clean Eating Magazine
Dash Diet to lower blood pressure and cholesterol
Michael Pollan

Inulin, what the heck is it and why is it now in so much of my food?

Inulin seems to be the new sweetheart of the processed food industry. It can now be found in some brands of yogurt, ice cream, salad dressing, cereal and other grain products--even chocolate! With the 2010 U.S. Dietary Guidelines calling for people to eat less refined grains, manufacturers are pumping up some of their products by adding fiber substances such as inulin to them. Sneaking such fiber additives into food is often called "stealth fiber" because the food item does not naturally contain it. Inulin, not to be confused with insulin, is a soluble fiber that naturally occurs in many plant foods such as bananas, onions, artichokes and chicory root. Inulin as a food additive is derived from chicory root, as this is the only commercialized available form. In this form it is essentially a white powder made of starches that the body cannot digest. It is this inability of the body to break it down that classifies it as a fiber. It may also be listed as "chicory extract", "oligofructose" or "fructan".

Inulin is an isolated fiber and may or may not have the same benefits that naturally occurring fiber has, such as adding bulk to stools to ease constipation, or lowering triglycerides, blood sugar and cholesterol. Scientific tests, in this regard, have been inconsistent. It can cause gastrointestinal problems such as gas, bloating and cramping. It will not "fill you up" or act as an appetite suppressant. However, it does stimulate the growth of good bacteria in the digestive system. It is classified as a prebiotic, a substance that promotes the growth of probiotics. This is one reason it is added to yogurts and probiotics.

Why do food manufacturers add it to foods then if it has marginal health benefits? To sell more product. Foods that might not ordinarily have much fiber in them, with the addition of inulin, can now boast higher fiber levels--what a marketing goldmine!

So should you eat foods with inulin? It's up to you, it is considered a safe food additive. But, you might just want to read the ingredient list when the package advertises it's fiber content. In many cases you would probably be better off buying the whole food version. That extra nutrition you think your getting by paying more for the enriched product may end up to be just a lot of "gas".
 
Some products that contain inulin:
Uncle Ben's Whole White Rice
Yoplait Fiber One Yogurt (listed as chicory root)
Fiber One Bars (chicory root fiber is it's number one ingredient!)
Luna Bars
Cliff Bars
South Beach Living Cereal Bars
Quaker Fiber & Omega 3 Bars
Kellogg Fiber Plus Bars (another one that is mostly chicory root fiber!)
Planters Nut-rition Bars
Arnold Grains and More Bread
Pepperidge Farm Double Fiber Bread
Kashi TLC Granola Bars
Dannon Activia Fiber
Kashi Heart to Heart and Go Lean Oatmeal
Planters Digestive Health Mix

Sources:
Popular food additive can cause stomach ache
What Should Americans Eat
http://www.cargill.com/food/na/en/products/health-promoting-ingredients/oliggo-fiber-inulin/faqs/index.jsp
http://jn.nutrition.org/cgi/content/full/129/7/1412S
http://www.cspinet.org/nah/01_08/rating_can.pdf 
http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-1048-INULIN.aspx?activeIngredientId=1048&activeIngredientName=INULIN
http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/columnnn/nn080925.html