How to choose what enters your mouth 101

Okay Skinny Readers- I know it is summer and it is hot and we want to be lazy, but this is no time to give up! You can make it!

Now exercise is wonderful; it can do wonders for your body and your attitude. However, if you are really focused on shedding some pounds you have to be conscious of what you are eating. That is why we have food journals, log our meals, etc. right? Because no amount of exercise is going to make you look fantastic if you don't eat smart!

Here are a few tips on how to choose what goes in your mouth:

All calories are not created equal! 200 calories from cake is not the same as 200 calories from a lean protein source and serving of leafy greens. Don't fool yourself by thinking you can just "count your calories" and stop at a certain number...your body needs nourishment!

"Carbs" is not a bad word! Don't try to skip all the carb goodness in this world...that is too cruel! Just realize that there are refined/simple carbohydrates that offer nothing more than calories and then there are unrefined/complex carbs that are full of fiber and B vitamins. Obviously it isn't a good idea to go overboard on anything, but when choosing your carbohydrates, choose complex!

Good foods remember where they came from! If you have no idea where your food has come from, it is probably best not to eat it! Have you ever seen a frosted flake tree? Or a vine that grows donuts? Try to pick foods that looked the same before they got to the store. Also, when picking these better foods, remember that if they haven't seen their homeland recently, they might not be the best choice. Things that have been boiled, processed, canned, and stored on a shelf for months don't have too much nutritional goodness left in them.

Have some good ole' Vitamin C! So, vitamin C is great because it helps to repair tissue, heals our wounds, bolsters our immune system, prevents different kind of diseases like of the eye and heart, and may even protect our skin from wrinkling! Sadly, our bodies can not keep a supply of vitamin C...it can store lots of vitamins and nutrients, but not C! So we need to have at least one serving of it daily; here are some ideas...

Vitamin C Rich Foods

grapefruit or grapefruit juice

orange or orange juice

mango

papaya

cantaloupe

strawberries

blackberries

raspberries

tomatoes or tomato juice

raw cabbage/cole slaw

red or green pepper

cooked broccoli

cooked cauliflower

cooked kale

raw spinach

(and best of all, all of these foods remember where they came from!)

And remember, every bite counts! Think about each bite you take and ask yourself if it is really the best thing for you to give your body. If it is, go ahead! If it isn't, put it down (better yet, throw it out!) and pick something better for your body. Your body works hard for you each day...take care of it!

Making a list, checking it twice...

No, it is not Christmas. However one of my favorite things to do is check things off a list...I make lists for everything! I decided to capitalize on this and use this new format instead of trying to make myself write down things I eat in a food journal...which, while is a good idea and works for some people, it is like pulling teeth for me- I just hate it and can't make myself do it!

So I made this handy little chart for myself- some of the categories have more blocks than they really should, but it is so I aim high in those areas (yes, I know my own weaknesses very well!) Basically I check off a block for every serving of food I eat in the appropriate category. At the end of the week I give myself an overall grade in each category (just however I felt I did in each area, A to F...it is just a random, arbitrary grade) and then make a goal to raise my grade in at least one area the next week.

Click HERE to view the GoogleDocs Spreadsheet

For some reason this really works for me- it motivates me to get more fruits and veggies and water into my day and limit my snacks, candy, and dessert. I hang it on my fridge with a pen attached so it is really accessible. Maybe it will help some of you...try it out!

Have a great day!

K.I.S.S.

We have a little saying the in dance business...K.I.S.S. This stands for Keep It Simple, Stupid. Why on earth would we have this little saying among us teachers? Well because, whether it is dance or anything else, we know that people won't do it if it doesn't seem fun and easy. Now this isn't to say that people can't do things that aren't simple, but who will really want to?

In the book Food Politics it talks about how the American public is so confused on what to eat even though the dietary recommendations have stayed the same for decades. Once people start talking about carbs and protein and fiber and such, most people just lose interest. It isn't that they don't want to be healthy, but unless it is simple we aren't usually willing to add it to our already full plates (no pun intended!). Diets and exercise programs can overwhelm people, especially if it isn't what you are focusing on...lets be honest- not a lot of us have multiple hours per day/week to analyze

nutrition information, do workouts for each part of the body, plan and prepare meals that will give all the nutrients needed, etc.

So here it is- my very simple tip to help you make your food choices. Assign each food you eat to one of two groups: animal or plant. Animal foods are those that come from animals...meat, fish, cheese, milk, eggs, etc. Plant foods are those that come from plants...fruits, veggies, grains, etc. Each and every meal you eat, make sure your plant foods outweigh your animal foods. That is it! How simple, quick, and easy is that? It isn't eliminating any foods, just making sure that you have more of the great foods for your body and less of the just okay foods. I dare you to try it out this week; I can guarantee you will be making healthier food choices without looking at any labels, counting any calories, etc.

(Side note: do not try and make the argument that cookies are good for you because they have plant foods like flour in them...they still have a lot of animal foods in them too, like butter and eggs. I tried making that argument already but my husband shot it down!)

Triathlon Update: The last two weekends I have run a race: a 5k and a 10k. They were really fun (for more on the races check my blog at HERE). I am feeling good and strong and am starting to add in more and more bike rides along with my runs. I got new shoes which have eliminated the heel pain (more on that some other day). I think I will be ready to do the Biathlon on May 22nd! )

Let Them Eat Pizza!

So when I am "watching what I eat", one of the hardest things for me is pizza. I love it; I crave it; I can't stop at just one piece. It is great for lunch the next day and makes even a mundane day seem a little more fun. But when I am counting calories, it usually doesn't make the cut. Until now!

Two years ago my dad was diagnosed with a serious case of liver disease- he had complete liver failure. As we still wait for a transplant, not only do we live by a crazy prescription schedule but he isn't supposed to consume sodium...like at all. A few miligrams here or there doesn't hurt too much, but his liver can't process all of the fluid that accompanies sodium and so it just builds up around his organs and he gets liters of it pumped out of his stomach every once and awhile. Not pleasant. So my family has gone through a serious life adjustment of trying to cut out all forms of sodium. While most of the results are pretty bland, this recipe has made the cut. Not only is it salt-free and fairly easy, it is delicious! (So much so that it is the pizza crust I make even when my dad isn't joining us!)

Here it goes:

2 packages (or 4 1/2 tsp.) dry yeast
2 cups lukewarm water

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 tbsp. honey

4-plus cups flour

Dissolve the yeast in 1/2 cup of the water and allow to stand for a few minutes until it begins to foam. Add the oil, honey, and the rest of the water and stir to blend.

Add 1 cup of flour and stir. Add the rest of the flour, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring until the dough becomes too stiff to stir with a spoon. Remove it to a floured board and knead for about 5 minutes, until it feels soft and elastic and the texture is uniform.

(If you have a mixer with a dough hook, you can use it to knead the dough. After stirring in the first cup of flour by hand, put the mixture in the mixer's bowl, add 2 more cups of flour and run the mixer on slow speed. Add more flour 1/4 cup at a time until the dough holds together in a ball and no longer sticks to the sides of the bowl. After removing the dough from the bowl, knead by hand a few times to make sure the texture is uniform. Even though I have a great mixer, I still do it by hand.)

Wipe the inside of a clean bowl with olive oil; place the dough in it to rise and cover loosely with plastic wrap. For a faster rise, put the bowl in a sink partly filled with hot water or in a warm dryer (don't turn the dryer on!) The dough is ready to use for pizza crusts when it has doubled in bulk. There should be enough for four medium-sized pies.

Now I usually half the recipe when it is just my hubby and me...it still makes one good sized pizza. And I have started using half whole wheat flour and half white, kneading it with white flour. It doesn't seem to work as well when I use all whole wheat flour. I load it up with some sauce, lots of veggies (zucchini, squash, bell pepper, etc.), and just enough cheese to make the toppings stick together...but not a ton. Cheese is a major part of pizza that will get you in trouble! :) Then bake it in a hot oven (400* - 450*) until the edges are brown and the cheese has melted...sorry, I am not usually a timer kind of girl! SIDE NOTE: This is an really easy dish to customize for those that aren't as supportive of the healthy eating- not that my Nicholas isn't supportive, but his side usually has more cheese and pepperoni and such...please notice in the picture that one side has more cheese :)

Try it out! (Hey and if anyone out there finds great sodium-free recipes, send them my way!)

One last thing- while we are all taking matters into our own hands to get and remain healthy, please remember that not everyone is so fortunate. One thing that you can do to help those who aren't able to help themselves is to donate blood. Now I know everyone has a reason not to and believe me when I say that I don't love needles either! But it is important for those who are healthy and able to donate to give to others...chances are that sometime in your lifetime someone you know will need blood. And in just one donation you can help save up to three lives! Plus it is a great way to get your blood pressure, iron, cholesterol, etc. checked without having to go to your doctor. To find a location near you, go to www.redcrossblood.org.

Triathlon Update: This week I have added some biking to my regular routine (which mostly just consists of running). I have also created a training schedule of my own after looking over and borrowing from a few different online training schedules...it includes biking, swimming, running, and weight training. I begin that on Monday- wish me luck in the pool! (It is going to be freezing! At least that is motivation to warm myself up, right?)

My Breakfast Lately

I think you all know (from of course very meticulously reading every post I write) that I had been eating good ol' Cracklin Oat Bran for breakfast every day.  When I started The Skinny I was eating about 1 1/2 cups of Cracklin Oat Bran and 3/4 cup of 1% milk every day for breakfast.  Overtime I've been eating less and less and was down to about 1/2 cup of each.  I certainly haven't been trying to cut back on my cereal all that much or anything, I just found over time that I didn't want or need to eat that much to stay full in the mornings.  But after a while even the wonderful Cracklin Oat Bran was starting to seem like too much.  So I switched.

I first switched some regular Kashi Go Lean since we had some in our cupboard, but I'm not nuts about those little twig things.  So when I saw the Kashi Go Lean Crunch! in the cereal isle I decided to give it a try.  And it's great!  So now for breakfast every morning I have:

about a half a cup of Kashi Go Lean Crunch!

and about a half a cup of 1% milk
(No, I don't usually measure things out anymore, but the whole gallon of milk just didn't look very picturesque on the tray.)

And I stay full all morning long.

What are you all eating for breakfast these days?

Tip of the Week - EAT SHRIMP!

Perhaps you are like me and get tired of eating chicken all the time. While it usually sounds like a more nutritious choice than red meat, I tire of eating chicken. In fact I get bored with eating red meat as well. That is why I love shrimp.

They are fun and different and have a lot of natural flavor. I love to substitute shrimp in many of my normal recipes- they are a very low fat option (if you don't douse them in butter of course!) and a great source of protein. In fact, they actually have a fair amount of Vitamin D, which is excellent since most of us ladies don't get enough. (Side note: many people are worried about not getting enough Calcium, however if you don't have enough Vitamin D it doesn't matter how much Calcium you get...Vitamin D is what helps the Calcium to actually be absorbed in your body!)

(Above: what they will look like raw) With all of that being said, I would recommend that you buy raw shrimp from the meat department at your local supermarket instead of buying it precooked or frozen. Anything but raw shrimp is packed with tons of sodium and you can avoid it by purchasing raw shrimp that was not raised in salt water. I usually ask the butcher to put about a half a pound in a bag...then I buy multiple pounds at a time when they are on sale. This way it is really easy for me to thaw just the amount I need for one meal.

Once you let them thaw (or aid them in the process by putting the bag in some warm water), you need to cook them. Get a pot of boiling water and put the shrimp in- they are done when they are a tight "c" shape and are bright reddish/pinkish. Let them cool for a few minutes and then peel the skins off of the shrimp...I know this is a little bit more tedious than buying pre-cooked, however it really does cut out a lot of sodium and they taste fresher.

(Above: what they will look like cooked, with the skins removed) Now you have your shrimp...I like to use them on pasta, in salads, and in tacos. Sometimes I cook them in a skillet for a minute or two with a tiny bit of olive oil and seasonings....pepper and oregano if I am using them in an Italian dish, a sprinkle of taco seasoning or cayenne pepper if I am using them in a taco, etc. You definitely do not need to cook them in a skillet, however I like when mine are just a little browned.

Let me know if you find any great ways to use shrimp...while they are not the least expensive protein you can eat, they sure are tasty and nutritious!

Kathy: Week 2 (I Am the Tortoise)

Current weight: 149 pounds
Last week's weight: 151 pounds

Total weight loss: 2 pounds

This is not nearly as exciting as Katie's initial weight loss, so I have to remind myself to be patient! I know that I have been eating REALLY healthy this week (more about that in a minute), and I got some workouts in, too. After all, according to my initial calculations, I figure I'll lose about 1/2 pound a week...so for a first week, I've lost four times as much as I planned! 

My body feels about the same to me today as it did last Saturday, but I feel MUCH better about being in control of my eating with a good, solid plan.

Here's how I'm doing with my goals:
(To read more about my goals, check my Week 1 post.)

This photo was taken yesterday morning about 5:45 am at Curves!

1. Eat about 1600 calories a day. Three meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner) about 400 calories each, and a fourth "meal" of 400 calories spread out through the day as snacks.

This is working out really well for me. It super-simplifies counting calories! As a 55-year-old woman, I can't eat nearly as many calories as Katie can at this point in her life. But I still love food, so planning four 400-calorie meals (1 "meal" is my afternoon snack, when the munchies hit the hardest), helps me to set boundaries on how much I eat.

Have I mentioned that I LOVE breakfast?? It's my favorite meal of the day. Here's what my breakfast looks like, EVERY DAY. That's right, no decisions to make. If I like it (and I do!) why get all fancy and switch the menu around?

What a great, healthy meal; it keeps me going until lunch time.
1 cup steel-cut oats (w/ 1 T flax meal, a few frozen blueberries or raisins, and a drizzle of agave nectar)
1/4 cup egg substitute, scrambled (hubby always throws in a couple of mushrooms - yum)
1/2 grapefruit, pear, or mango
1 cup nonfat milk
12 oz. water

If you have never tried steel-cut oats, go add them to your shopping list right now. You will probably find them in the health-food section of the grocery store. They taste SO much better than regular, boring, ordinary oatmeal. The steel-cut oats have a nuttier flavor and texture, and they have more nutrients because they are cold processed. They have to simmer for 20 minutes, so I get them started in the morning, then let them do their thing while I get dressed. About 15 minutes later we come downstairs, hubby whips up the egg substitute and I cut up our fruit. Voila! So easy. So yummy. So healthy.

2. Plan my menus ahead of time so there aren't any last minute "emergencies" where I don't have a healthy meal ready to go.

This is genius. I bought a little whiteboard and used a sharpie pen to mark out the days of the week before I attached it to the front of the fridge. I figured out seven 400-calorie dinners (1 for each day of the week), and decided which menus would work best on certain days with my busy schedule.

And then I did something truly revolutionary: I decided to use the same menu every week! No kidding! Every Monday will be Taco Salad, every Thursday will be Shrimp in Papillotte, and so forth.

I can already hear what you're thinking: That would be so boring! What about creativity? What about trying out new recipes? Hey - these are NOT boring foods! They are tasty, delicious, healthy, easy recipes--I promise I'll post the recipes soon! I'm ok with eating them 10 more times for this term, and then I can rethink the plan in April. I prefer to think of this as "consistency," not "boring."

Here's the deal: On two days a week I have some built-in flexibility.
Sunday is "low-calorie crockpot recipe." I found some great recipes at this site - they even include the nutrition information and calorie counts! I do my grocery shopping on Saturdays, so each week I'll choose a different recipe to try out on Sunday.
Friday is "soup of the week." There are so many low-calorie soup recipes out there, and hubby and I love soup. My whole-wheat bran muffin recipe is to die for, and only 120 calories per muffin. I promise I'll post it soon!

Frankly, that's about all the variety I can handle right now! I've just started a crazy-busy college term, with class two nights a week and 10 books to read in 12 weeks, in addition to a full-time teaching job with papers to grade every night. It's worth it to me to have consistency in my menu plan for this term, in exchange for knowing that this consistency is healthy and within the calorie boundaries I've set for myself. If I had to constantly calculate the calories and nutrients, I'd give up in a week or two.

3. Keep up the fluid intake!
Can you hear me sloshing? A glass of milk morning and evening, a cup of carrot juice every afternoon, and lots of water in between. I'm learning to pay more attention to my thirst.

4. Exercise at least 3 x week.
It's so great to have a workout buddy. Thank you, Julia! Julia and I are going to Curves every Monday and Friday morning at 5:30 am. I'm really out of shape...haven't been since July 14!!..so I'm not burning huge amounts of calories yet, but it's healthy and it's movement, and I'm getting out of bed and doing it.

For the third workout, hubby and I started a yoga class on Tuesday nights. There are so many things I already love about this class. Here are my top 3:
1. What an amazing stretch. My muscles loved all that attention.
2. It's a tough workout, too. This will help me build my strength.
3. I slept better after yoga class than I've slept in months, maybe years. Deep, peaceful, restful sleep. and like Katie reminded us, getting enough sleep can help us with losing weight, too!