Running has been a large part of my life for the last two years, ever since a friend asked me to join a relay race team. I never thought I'd be a runner, but I find so much enjoyment in pushing myself and doing new things. I also find it very relaxing and a great way to relieve stress. One major reason I'm doing this eating overhaul is to improve my running, and I'm finding that it's working! Ever since I started eating this way, I've been getting faster and feeling so much better while running. Of course, that's not the only cause, but it certainly helps!
Today we were at a 5k race, and they had quite a spread at the finish line: carrots, apple slices, 100% fruit juice, yogurt, water... it was great. And then, there was this cookie. I won't name it, but it has the word 'power' in the title and says it's "naturally flavored." Right. Here's the ingredient list:
Rolled oats
Rice flour
Corn syrup
Maltodextrin
Sugar
Water
Dextrose
Fractionated palm kernel oil
Soybean oil
Fructose
High fructose corn syrup
Nonfat milk
Flax seed
Honey
High maltose corn syrup
Brown sugar
Rice bran
Nonfat yogurt powder (cultured nonfat milk)
Natural flavor (what could that possibly be?
Cinnamon
Salt
Calcium carbonate
Soy lecithin
Titanium dioxide (added for color)
Ferric orthophosphate
Niacinamide
Thiamine mononitrate
Riboflavin
What a list for a 1.76 oz. cookie, huh? Especially one that's supposed to be marketed for atheletes! Notice the bolded words? All EIGHT of those are kinds of sugar! That little cookie has 3 teaspoons in it! It'll give you energy for sure, but then you'll crash and burn in an hour. How sneaky of them to pack the cookie with all that sugar! Most people today picked it up, didn't even think to look at it and just wolfed it down. No more of that for me!
Tonight's dinner was Orecchiette with Turkey Sausage and Broccoli Rabe. I couldn't find the exact recipe, which I got from Food Matters, but this is close enough. I added just a few sun-dried tomatoes and put in much more broccoli rabe. On the side, we made some green garbanzo beans that we found at Costco. We just put a little olive oil, sea salt, and garlic, and microwaved it for 2 minutes. Totally easy dinner and very yummy!
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Saturday, April 24, 2010
One Month Ago Today...
... I got a wild hair after seeing Jamie Oliver's TED talk and Food Revolution and embarked on this journey to revolutionize the way we eat. It feels like so long ago and yet not. We've come a long way together!
What hasn't surprised me at all:
-I've been totally grossed out and distressed by many of the things I've read. Reading about this subject is much like watching Hoarders for me: it makes me all twitchy.
-The food is all delicious.
-Lauren won't eat it.
-It does cost more to eat this way.
-I've found it a little difficult to eat out.
What has been surprising:
-How accessible organic food is, especially with all the local CSAs.
-It doesn't cost THAT much more to eat this way.
-I haven't had to spend much more time in food prep.
-How quickly I began thinking about going full vegetarian.
-Just how delicious the food is.
-How willing Jeremy has been to go along with all of this, especially in regards to eating less meat.
-How interesting and enjoyable I find all of this.
-Just how many resources are out there, both in books and on the web.
-Just how good I feel. My running is going great: I've been running faster with much more ease. I haven't been overly tired at all and just feel great all day. I've lost about three pounds without even trying. Anything I've given up has been totally worth it and I don't crave most things any more. I'm ready to keep going!
I have a lot more reading and learning to do, and I hope you'll join me!
Tonight's dinner was absolutely delicious! I made the Pan-Cooked Grated Vegetables and Crispy Fish from Food Matters by Mark Bittman. Somehow, I had a reading comprehension fail and didn't see that I was supposed to grate the vegetables. Instead, I cut them into bite-sized chunks, using sweet potatoes, red-skin potatoes, purple-topped turnips, scallions, and a few left-over mushrooms. I just added more ginger and curry powder and it turned out great. I think the trick for that might have been adding a few golden raisins for that little tast of sweetness. I served the fish (I used tilapia) over the veggies and had some asparagus on the side. It was amazing! I would definitely eat this again. And again and again.
What hasn't surprised me at all:
-I've been totally grossed out and distressed by many of the things I've read. Reading about this subject is much like watching Hoarders for me: it makes me all twitchy.
-The food is all delicious.
-Lauren won't eat it.
-It does cost more to eat this way.
-I've found it a little difficult to eat out.
What has been surprising:
-How accessible organic food is, especially with all the local CSAs.
-It doesn't cost THAT much more to eat this way.
-I haven't had to spend much more time in food prep.
-How quickly I began thinking about going full vegetarian.
-Just how delicious the food is.
-How willing Jeremy has been to go along with all of this, especially in regards to eating less meat.
-How interesting and enjoyable I find all of this.
-Just how many resources are out there, both in books and on the web.
-Just how good I feel. My running is going great: I've been running faster with much more ease. I haven't been overly tired at all and just feel great all day. I've lost about three pounds without even trying. Anything I've given up has been totally worth it and I don't crave most things any more. I'm ready to keep going!
I have a lot more reading and learning to do, and I hope you'll join me!
Tonight's dinner was absolutely delicious! I made the Pan-Cooked Grated Vegetables and Crispy Fish from Food Matters by Mark Bittman. Somehow, I had a reading comprehension fail and didn't see that I was supposed to grate the vegetables. Instead, I cut them into bite-sized chunks, using sweet potatoes, red-skin potatoes, purple-topped turnips, scallions, and a few left-over mushrooms. I just added more ginger and curry powder and it turned out great. I think the trick for that might have been adding a few golden raisins for that little tast of sweetness. I served the fish (I used tilapia) over the veggies and had some asparagus on the side. It was amazing! I would definitely eat this again. And again and again.
Friday, April 23, 2010
Somewhere Between Eating to Live and Living to Eat
Every Friday night I get together with a couple of girlfriends to hang out and watch TV, usually The Biggest Loser. Sometimes we do dinner, sometimes not, and we usually have some sort of dessert. It's such a nice relaxing time and I look forward to it every week.
I have to admit, though, that I've been nervous about this ever since I started with this eating overhaul. Food to me means relaxation, fun, joy. Restricting food from myself will be miserable, right? Eat to live not live to eat, right?
Not necessarily. I'm finding that I get a lot of joy from eating well and taking good from my body, but I also am getting equal joy from eating food that tastes amazing. I'd say beyond the health benefits of my eating, the taste and the quality of what I'm eating has really soared. It's making eating a much better experience, and I'm finding a passion for food. I've been much more excited about the colors and textures and comingling of flavors on my plate. The nice thing is that I'm eating less, as taking the time to savor the first few bites somehow makes me feel fuller faster. That quality makes all the difference. Plus, I get to cook, which is one of the most relaxing things I know how to do, aside from sleeping. So, I'm trying to find that balance between eating to live and living to eat.
I found this gorgeous blog today and it really sums up what I'm thinking, just the idea that food is not just meant to be consumed. It's meant to be enjoyed, savored.
So, with that in mind, I made a cake for us tonight. I picked it out of the Moosewood cookbook: Presto Chocolate Cake. It's just a simple chocolate cake and I made a blackberry-chocolate glaze for the top. It was dead easy to make and was just the perfect amount of rich and light and sweet. It was delicious, and I savored every bite. Just like it's meant to be, right?
As usual, this photo does not do the cake justice.
A little bit of an artsier shot, though I had a serving fail.
Eating well doesn't have to mean restriction and boredom. It can be eating all the things you love that are good for you, while being conscious of the choices you're making. Listening to your body is key. So is chocolate cake every once in a while.
I have to admit, though, that I've been nervous about this ever since I started with this eating overhaul. Food to me means relaxation, fun, joy. Restricting food from myself will be miserable, right? Eat to live not live to eat, right?
Not necessarily. I'm finding that I get a lot of joy from eating well and taking good from my body, but I also am getting equal joy from eating food that tastes amazing. I'd say beyond the health benefits of my eating, the taste and the quality of what I'm eating has really soared. It's making eating a much better experience, and I'm finding a passion for food. I've been much more excited about the colors and textures and comingling of flavors on my plate. The nice thing is that I'm eating less, as taking the time to savor the first few bites somehow makes me feel fuller faster. That quality makes all the difference. Plus, I get to cook, which is one of the most relaxing things I know how to do, aside from sleeping. So, I'm trying to find that balance between eating to live and living to eat.
I found this gorgeous blog today and it really sums up what I'm thinking, just the idea that food is not just meant to be consumed. It's meant to be enjoyed, savored.
So, with that in mind, I made a cake for us tonight. I picked it out of the Moosewood cookbook: Presto Chocolate Cake. It's just a simple chocolate cake and I made a blackberry-chocolate glaze for the top. It was dead easy to make and was just the perfect amount of rich and light and sweet. It was delicious, and I savored every bite. Just like it's meant to be, right?
As usual, this photo does not do the cake justice.
 |
| From Drop Box |
A little bit of an artsier shot, though I had a serving fail.
 |
| From Drop Box |
Eating well doesn't have to mean restriction and boredom. It can be eating all the things you love that are good for you, while being conscious of the choices you're making. Listening to your body is key. So is chocolate cake every once in a while.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Meat
Makes you want to read it or at least look for pictures, right?
Happy Earth Day, everyone!
I picked up this little "Delicious Living" magazine from a holder outside the local vitamin shop. This month was all about eco-living and eco-eating, so it was perfect for right now. Like Mark Bittman said in Food Matters, "Your personal food policy is more potent that anything else you can do in the realm of climate change, animal welfare, the environment in general, and certainly your own health." That being said, I thought I would share their eco-eating tips:
1. Eat less beef, more plant-based foods.
2. Eat whole foods; limit processed products.
3. Eat locally and seasonally; avoid air-freighted food.
4. For fish, go lower on the food chain (e.g.; mussels and scallops instead of tuna and bass).
5. Eat small-scale local organic.
6. Reduce waste (e.g., compost and buy only what you need).
Nothing we really didn't know, but I think it's a good reminder on this Earth Day. It's a lot like the Food Rules, which I've found helpful for guiding my eating. I don't need a ton of rules, but it helps to have clarity. I really recommend Food Rules for everyone.
Another great read that I'm just getting into is Food Matters: A Guide to Conscious Eating by Mark Bittman. He had me in the Preface with the quote above, and the first chapter has been great. His general premise has to do with lessening our meat consumption, given the environmental and health impacts of eating too much meat. Some interesting facts:
-Global meat consumption is expected to double within the next 40 years.
-The people in many developed countries, including the U.S., consume 1/2 pound of meat per day. (Ick.)
-We raise 60 billion animals per years for food - 10 animals per person.
-40 calories of fossil fuel are required to produce 1 calorie of beef protein.
For me, the signs are continuing to point towards vegetarianism. Beyond the obvious ethical issues I have with the way animals are raised and killed in this country, I just can't in good conscious contribute even more to the environmental damage that's happening every day in our world (she says with her SUV in the driveway. Ignore that hypocrisy, please!) Never mind the health problems that have come about because of massive meat consumption in this country. Frankly, meat hasn't been tasting that good lately whenever I've had it. I don't think it will be hard to give up. I just have to figure out a way to do that with Jeremy being the meat-lover he is.
I have Food, Inc. on my DVR and I'm planning to watch it this weekend. Be prepared for a rant to ensue!
Happy Earth Day, everyone!
I picked up this little "Delicious Living" magazine from a holder outside the local vitamin shop. This month was all about eco-living and eco-eating, so it was perfect for right now. Like Mark Bittman said in Food Matters, "Your personal food policy is more potent that anything else you can do in the realm of climate change, animal welfare, the environment in general, and certainly your own health." That being said, I thought I would share their eco-eating tips:
1. Eat less beef, more plant-based foods.
2. Eat whole foods; limit processed products.
3. Eat locally and seasonally; avoid air-freighted food.
4. For fish, go lower on the food chain (e.g.; mussels and scallops instead of tuna and bass).
5. Eat small-scale local organic.
6. Reduce waste (e.g., compost and buy only what you need).
Nothing we really didn't know, but I think it's a good reminder on this Earth Day. It's a lot like the Food Rules, which I've found helpful for guiding my eating. I don't need a ton of rules, but it helps to have clarity. I really recommend Food Rules for everyone.
Another great read that I'm just getting into is Food Matters: A Guide to Conscious Eating by Mark Bittman. He had me in the Preface with the quote above, and the first chapter has been great. His general premise has to do with lessening our meat consumption, given the environmental and health impacts of eating too much meat. Some interesting facts:
-Global meat consumption is expected to double within the next 40 years.
-The people in many developed countries, including the U.S., consume 1/2 pound of meat per day. (Ick.)
-We raise 60 billion animals per years for food - 10 animals per person.
-40 calories of fossil fuel are required to produce 1 calorie of beef protein.
For me, the signs are continuing to point towards vegetarianism. Beyond the obvious ethical issues I have with the way animals are raised and killed in this country, I just can't in good conscious contribute even more to the environmental damage that's happening every day in our world (she says with her SUV in the driveway. Ignore that hypocrisy, please!) Never mind the health problems that have come about because of massive meat consumption in this country. Frankly, meat hasn't been tasting that good lately whenever I've had it. I don't think it will be hard to give up. I just have to figure out a way to do that with Jeremy being the meat-lover he is.
I have Food, Inc. on my DVR and I'm planning to watch it this weekend. Be prepared for a rant to ensue!
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Carb Week!
No, I don't get to eat lot of them, though that would be fun.
Last night, I read the next week's chapter out of The Great American Detox Diet and found that this week is about carbs. I was actually excited about this, as I don't know much about carbs, besides hearing that they're bad for you and then that they're good for you and then bad for you again.
Basically, carbs aren't the enemy as long as you're eating the right ones. Same with fat, actually. It comes down to refined and unrefined carbs. Unrefined carbs are those that have not been processed down, so it's your whole wheat pastas and flours and brown rice. Your body takes longer to process these, giving you a steady stream of energy throughout the day. This is the opposite from refined carbs, like white flour, pasta and rice. Those go into your system and process much more quickly, giving you a quicker high of energy but then also a faster dip. Unrefined carbs also help you feel fuller longer, so you don't feel tempted to snack.
So what did I go out and eat today? Sushi with white rice. You can't win them all.
I will, however, be working to include more complex carbohydrates in my diet. The tally so far: more water, less sugar, less caffeine, more healthy fats and fewer bad ones, and more unrefined carbs. Check, check, check. I think I can handle this.
Observations from the guinea pig: Three of the six pounds I had gained were already gone this morning. I knew it was mostly water but was still disturbed. I'll be interested to see how long it takes the other to go away.
Tonight's dinner was a Chicken Not-Pie from Food Matters. It was decent. I think I'd need to tweak it a bit. I served it over some whole-wheat pasta, so the whole thing was a little bland. It also had a little too much chicken and I had cut my veggies too big. Live and learn. I definitely will try making it again.
Last night, I read the next week's chapter out of The Great American Detox Diet and found that this week is about carbs. I was actually excited about this, as I don't know much about carbs, besides hearing that they're bad for you and then that they're good for you and then bad for you again.
Basically, carbs aren't the enemy as long as you're eating the right ones. Same with fat, actually. It comes down to refined and unrefined carbs. Unrefined carbs are those that have not been processed down, so it's your whole wheat pastas and flours and brown rice. Your body takes longer to process these, giving you a steady stream of energy throughout the day. This is the opposite from refined carbs, like white flour, pasta and rice. Those go into your system and process much more quickly, giving you a quicker high of energy but then also a faster dip. Unrefined carbs also help you feel fuller longer, so you don't feel tempted to snack.
So what did I go out and eat today? Sushi with white rice. You can't win them all.
I will, however, be working to include more complex carbohydrates in my diet. The tally so far: more water, less sugar, less caffeine, more healthy fats and fewer bad ones, and more unrefined carbs. Check, check, check. I think I can handle this.
Observations from the guinea pig: Three of the six pounds I had gained were already gone this morning. I knew it was mostly water but was still disturbed. I'll be interested to see how long it takes the other to go away.
Tonight's dinner was a Chicken Not-Pie from Food Matters. It was decent. I think I'd need to tweak it a bit. I served it over some whole-wheat pasta, so the whole thing was a little bland. It also had a little too much chicken and I had cut my veggies too big. Live and learn. I definitely will try making it again.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Canaries in the Coal Mine
Ever since seeing it advertised in a magazine, I've been dying to read "Organic Manifesto" by Maria Rodale. The Rodale family has really led the way in researching and promoting organic farming to the general public and this most recent book really dives into the full picture of the effects organic farming can have. There's a great review of the book on a great blog, Civil Eats.
It's interesting to me that there's sort of a micro look at organics and a macro. First, the micro: this entails everything that organics do for us personally. I'll have to read the book to learn more about any studies that have been done, but there have been clear changes to animals because of their proximity to water runoff and other chemical exposure from non-organic farms. The article calls them our "canaries in the coal mine." If high exposure to these chemicals has caused certain frogs to change genders, what is it doing to us? Granted, our exposure levels are not nearly as high given that we're not squatting in the dirt next to the plants themselves, but prolonged exposure to even low levels cannot be a good thing. I'm wishing now that I had had all three of us tested for pesticide levels just to see the change over time. I like being a science experiment, apparently.
One quote that really stood out to me personally is “What is wrong with us? Why do we seem to care so little about our own safety, our own health, and the future of our children?... Why are we willing to pay thousands of dollars for in vitro fertility treatments when we can’t conceive, but not a few extra dollars for the organic food that might help to preserve the reproductive health of our own and future generations?” It's no secret that having Lauren was a struggle for us and now I'm wondering what decisions I've made about what I eat may have affected that. Of course, there's nothing to do about it now and it's not worth feeling bad about it, but I do wonder. So many women I know are suffering from some sort of infertility; could it be because of our pesticide-ridden foods? I'll be interested to learn more.
There's also the macro level to organic farming: the effects it can have on the environment and the economy. Environmentally, the soils are more stable and can produce more over time. It's not adding dangerous chemicals into our water supplies. It uses fewer fossil fuels than non-organic farming. Overall, it's so much better for our planet. In terms of the economy, supporting small farms and CSAs can help the businesses in our area, which benefits everyone. Sure, organic produce is more expensive, but isn't it worth the expense, knowing these things?
I'm definitely convinced that organic is the way to go, and I haven't even read the book! Just wait until I get my hands on a copy and you'll learn more than you ever wanted to. Until then, I'll find little blurbs to slake my thirst for this information.
Finally, a report from the penitent guinea pig. I got up extra early this morning and went to the gym, trying to rid myself of the things I ate and to perhaps perform a little self-flagellation for bad eating. Okay, so I'm exaggerating a bit, but I am really wanting to get back on the wagon. I just felt so good for the three weeks I ate well and my running performance was great. And then I go and eat things I know aren't good for me and my running performance suffered. Heck, I can't even call it "performance" as I didn't run at all this weekend and yesterday. I just felt too sluggish to do it; all I wanted to do was sit and eat. I think I really understand how people get trapped in our Standard American Diet: it tricks you into doing nothing else! That's why I'm back in the saddle.
One final confession. I weigh myself fairly often, even though I know the experts say not to. It's not that I'm obsessing over what I weigh, but I like to know how what I'm eating or drinking or how much exercise I'm getting affects my body. Anyway, I weighed myself pre-crappy food on Friday and then again this morning and found a 6 pound difference. SIX POUNDS!! Now, I know a great deal of this is water retention due to salt intake, but still. That's only after a weekend of eating badly. No wonder our society is dealing with weight issues. Ick. I'll have to let you know how quickly it comes off now that I'm back on the healthy eating. Canary in the coal mine, indeed.
Not that this is about food per se, but I found an interesting article in the NY Times about exercise and weight loss. Basically, exercise alone does not lead to weight loss, but it can help you maintain a healthy body weight. Lots of interesting information about fat rats "lolling around" in cages.
The article that led me to that one is "Cows on Drugs", also from the NY Times. It's from the former commissioner of the USDA, Donald Kennedy, and is about the nontherapeutic use of antibiotics in cows. That isn't just a burger you're eating. Hello antibiotic resistance!
It's interesting to me that there's sort of a micro look at organics and a macro. First, the micro: this entails everything that organics do for us personally. I'll have to read the book to learn more about any studies that have been done, but there have been clear changes to animals because of their proximity to water runoff and other chemical exposure from non-organic farms. The article calls them our "canaries in the coal mine." If high exposure to these chemicals has caused certain frogs to change genders, what is it doing to us? Granted, our exposure levels are not nearly as high given that we're not squatting in the dirt next to the plants themselves, but prolonged exposure to even low levels cannot be a good thing. I'm wishing now that I had had all three of us tested for pesticide levels just to see the change over time. I like being a science experiment, apparently.
One quote that really stood out to me personally is “What is wrong with us? Why do we seem to care so little about our own safety, our own health, and the future of our children?... Why are we willing to pay thousands of dollars for in vitro fertility treatments when we can’t conceive, but not a few extra dollars for the organic food that might help to preserve the reproductive health of our own and future generations?” It's no secret that having Lauren was a struggle for us and now I'm wondering what decisions I've made about what I eat may have affected that. Of course, there's nothing to do about it now and it's not worth feeling bad about it, but I do wonder. So many women I know are suffering from some sort of infertility; could it be because of our pesticide-ridden foods? I'll be interested to learn more.
There's also the macro level to organic farming: the effects it can have on the environment and the economy. Environmentally, the soils are more stable and can produce more over time. It's not adding dangerous chemicals into our water supplies. It uses fewer fossil fuels than non-organic farming. Overall, it's so much better for our planet. In terms of the economy, supporting small farms and CSAs can help the businesses in our area, which benefits everyone. Sure, organic produce is more expensive, but isn't it worth the expense, knowing these things?
I'm definitely convinced that organic is the way to go, and I haven't even read the book! Just wait until I get my hands on a copy and you'll learn more than you ever wanted to. Until then, I'll find little blurbs to slake my thirst for this information.
Finally, a report from the penitent guinea pig. I got up extra early this morning and went to the gym, trying to rid myself of the things I ate and to perhaps perform a little self-flagellation for bad eating. Okay, so I'm exaggerating a bit, but I am really wanting to get back on the wagon. I just felt so good for the three weeks I ate well and my running performance was great. And then I go and eat things I know aren't good for me and my running performance suffered. Heck, I can't even call it "performance" as I didn't run at all this weekend and yesterday. I just felt too sluggish to do it; all I wanted to do was sit and eat. I think I really understand how people get trapped in our Standard American Diet: it tricks you into doing nothing else! That's why I'm back in the saddle.
One final confession. I weigh myself fairly often, even though I know the experts say not to. It's not that I'm obsessing over what I weigh, but I like to know how what I'm eating or drinking or how much exercise I'm getting affects my body. Anyway, I weighed myself pre-crappy food on Friday and then again this morning and found a 6 pound difference. SIX POUNDS!! Now, I know a great deal of this is water retention due to salt intake, but still. That's only after a weekend of eating badly. No wonder our society is dealing with weight issues. Ick. I'll have to let you know how quickly it comes off now that I'm back on the healthy eating. Canary in the coal mine, indeed.
Not that this is about food per se, but I found an interesting article in the NY Times about exercise and weight loss. Basically, exercise alone does not lead to weight loss, but it can help you maintain a healthy body weight. Lots of interesting information about fat rats "lolling around" in cages.
The article that led me to that one is "Cows on Drugs", also from the NY Times. It's from the former commissioner of the USDA, Donald Kennedy, and is about the nontherapeutic use of antibiotics in cows. That isn't just a burger you're eating. Hello antibiotic resistance!
Monday, April 19, 2010
Willpower Zero
I thought my period of indulgence was over as of Sunday night, but apparently not. I've read that having salt and fat can make you crave more salt and fat, and I'm finding that it's definitely true. After eating several bad-for-me things this weekend, I craved more bad things today. I was good for the whole day, until this evening. Until I met my downfall, that is.
Indian food.
I just was really in the mood to have something special, something different for my birthday. I know, I had something different Saturday with that in mind. And again yesterday. But today, my actual birthday needed celebrating. With Indian food, of course.
Back on the wagon first thing in the morning. The penitent guinea pig will be back on the right path after that.
Indian food.
I just was really in the mood to have something special, something different for my birthday. I know, I had something different Saturday with that in mind. And again yesterday. But today, my actual birthday needed celebrating. With Indian food, of course.
Back on the wagon first thing in the morning. The penitent guinea pig will be back on the right path after that.
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